The 2018 Tras La Perla Summit focused on the connection between the city, its natural surroundings, and future opportunities through a sustainability lens. With a field visit through the Pescaíto neighborhood and an academic agenda at Hotel Zuana, environmental, institutional, and community leaders reflected on the ecological resilience of the Ciénaga Grande, the blue economy, and local learnings from the neighborhood. Speakers such as Sandra Vilardy, Brigitte Baptiste, Ricardo Lozano, and Gunter Pauli shared scientific, policy, and economic perspectives on Santa Marta’s environmental future. The event concluded with a participatory progress report led by Carlos Vives and Claudia Elena Vásquez, and included remarks from President Iván Duque—reaffirming a cross-sector commitment to protecting the territory, managing water, and promoting development rooted in identity.
