Christmas Palace Avenue: The power of music -- HSBC HQ, Rua XV Novembro

Curitiba-based HSBC Bank Brazil established the non-profit unit of Instituto HSBC Solidariedade in 2006 to manage its increased social investments in education, the environment and income generation all over Brazil. HSBC’s Education Program sponsors the choir of 160 children from 11 children’s shelters in Curitiba and nearby regions. The objective of the program is to enable children’s development through the support of counseling, education and health services.

This year hundred of thousands of visitors from across Brazil and around the world will see the choir sing and dance from the windows of Palace Avenue – the HSBC headquarters on Rua XV Novembro – each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from Nov. 25th to Dec. 18th.

Mayor Brown (far left), J.R. Rodriggs stroll down Rua XV Novembro in downtown Curitiba

On Nov. 25th in Jacksonville, Gov. Rick Scott told WOKV’s radio audience that the successful October economic development trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil resulted in over $60 million worth of contracts. Enterprise Florida organized the delegation of over 250 Floridians seeking to do business with primarily Brazilian aviation and transportation companies. Mayor Alvin Brown and JAXUSA Partnership Pres. Jerry Mallot were among the delegates representing Northeast Florida.

A day in Curitiba

Brown’s side trip to Curitiba on Oct. 25th strengthened and developed existing ties with one of Jacksonville’s Sister Cities. Brown and Joshua “J.R.” Rodriggs, president of BrazilFlorida Alliance met with Mayor Luciano Ducci, officials at ACP (Associação Comercial do Paraná –  the Commercial Association of the State of Paraná) and toured the city.  In the above photograph, Brown and Rodriggs are near HSBC Palace Avenue on 15 November Street (Rua XV Novembro) which would  transform into a Christmas wonderland within a month.

Gallery of Light -- Located between the streets of Rio Branco and Marechal Floriano Peixoto, in downtown Curitiba

The Christmas show opened on Dec. 1st and runs through Dec. 23rd. A parade of dancers and jugglers from various dance schools perform at the Gallery of Light – the show lasts about 40 minutes. It has been staged every year since 1995 by Italian artist Valerio Festi (Studio Festi) to honor the victims of the earthquake in Kobe, Japan. Other than show times, visitors walk through the Gallery’s succession of arched gates decorated with over 50,000 lights while holiday music plays from a state-of-the-art sound system. The Gallery of Light will be lit until Jan. 6th.

 For complete month-long event schedule see Encantado do Natal’s  Website ~~ 

CURITIBA Capital do Natal 

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BrazilFlorida Alliance  Holiday Networking Event,   Dec. 13th 5:30pm – 7pm at 

Tento Churrascaria, 528 North First St., Jacksonville Beach.   

Registration  

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Curitiba is now taking its level of mass transit sophistication one step further. The BRT is adding a fleet of 97 buses this month with capacity for 250 passengers powered exclusively by 100 percent (B100) soy-based biofuel. The fleet of bi-articulated buses has three passenger compartment sections instead of two (articulated.) The “Neobus” model bus at 28 meters (92 ft.) is the largest bus in the world and is manufactured by Volvo in Brazil.

Curitiba Mayor Ducci (right), Gov. Richa -- Barigui Park. March 27, 2011 BRT event

Curitiba’s new mayor, Luciano Ducci, launched the first of the fleet on March 27th. Parana Governor Beto Richa also attended the capitol city introduction.

“It’s a modern bus , comfortable and environmentally friendly, ensuring better quality in public transportation to the citizens of Curitiba,” said Luciano Ducci. ”This month we are receiving 97 new buses to renew the fleet. Yet this year, the city will receive 544 brand new buses, which will represent 29 percent renewal of the operating fleet.” (Portuguese translation courtesy Google Chrome)

Curitiba BRT basics

FTA case study, Chapter 3:  Curitiba Experience excerpts:

– A previous comprehensive plan for Curitiba, developed in 1943, had envisioned exponential growth of automobile traffic and wide boulevards radiating from the central core of the city to accommodate the traffic. Rights of way for the boulevards were acquired, but many other parts of the plan never materialized. With the adoption of the new Master Plan in 1965, the projected layout of the city changed dramatically.

– Minibuses routed through residential neighborhoods feed passengers to conventional buses on circumferential routes around the central city and on inter-district routes. The backbone of the system is composed of the Bus Rapid Transit, operating on the five main arteries leading into the center of the city like spokes on a wheel hub.

• integrated planning
• exclusive bus lanes
• signal priority for buses
• pre-boarding fare collection
• level bus boarding from raised platforms in tube stations
• free transfers between lines (single entry)
• large capacity articulated and bi-articulated wide-door buses
• overlapping system of bus services

Curitiba BRT station stop (photo: Guilherme Mendes Thomaz)

Related:

Estado dos Estados

On a tour: Curitiba, Brazil Listed as one of Forbes 2009 World Smartest Cities: Strong infrastructure, attractive economies and savvy urban planning.

Not all the world’s “smart” cities are trading giants like Hong Kong and Singapore. They also include well-run metropolises, such as the city of Curitiba. The south Brazilian city is regarded as an innovator in everything from bus-based rapid transit [BRT], used by some 70 percent of residents, and its balanced, diverse economic development strategy.

Northeast Florida future transit network

JTA Bus Rapid Transit

Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) is in the development stages of a Northeast Florida multi-modal transit network including commuter rail, rapid transit, waterborne, and streetcar. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $9.3 million to JTA for bus system improvements in March 2010 as part of the federal stimulus bill.  A portion of  that money is allocated in Jacksonville for a BRT system.

JTA Future Plans: Progress update to follow.

Joshua Rodriggs, president of the Brazil Florida Alliance (BFA), said the investment plan represents “abundant” opportunities for U.S. products and services. Florida is well-positioned to capitalize on this funding.

Curitiba-based América Latina Logística (ALL) intermodal services

BFA held its first 2011 Board of Directors on Jan. 24th at the University of North Florida. The agenda included organizational plans for BFA Chapters throughout Florida. Chapters will  increase networking opportunities with other Florida companies interested in or are already doing business in Brazil. The first Chapter is slated to open in Tampa, Fla.

Concurrently,  the Aliança Américas Sul (AAS) or Americas South Alliance was established by the BFA as a 501(c) corporation to assist Brazilian member-companies seeking business and networking opportunities throughout Florida. The AAS  is based in Curitiba and begins formal operations in first quarter 2011.

As of today there are six umbrella partners to assist in developing member services:   BFA; Agencia Curitiba SA (Chamber of Commerce); Terra Roxa (North Paraná business alliance); FACIAP (financial institution); Strategic International Solutions for Business (Rodriggs’ consulting firm); and Associação Comercial do Paraná (ACP) –  the Commercial Association of the State of Paraná (since 1890) through its Board of Foreign Trade Council.

The ACP sponsored a luncheon on Jan. 19th in which Paraná Gov. Beto Richa announced the start of intrastate railway connection between the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and Curitiba’s Port of Paranagua to offload its grain production.  ACP officials stressed the importance of Public Private Partnerships to develop the state’s port, airline and infrastructure efficiencies.

Rodriggs said  building relationships in Brazil is the “name of the game” for doing business in the country. Companies with an established presence are better positioned to take advantage of business opportunities as projects become available.

TAM Airlines - Brazil and Latin America's largest airline

Featured photo:

Tam Forecasts 15 – 18% Growth in Brazil Demand in 2011

Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) – Tam SA, Brazil’s biggest airline by market share, forecasts demand for flights will grow up to 18 percent this year as more Brazilians take to the skies for the first time.

Demand, measured by revenue-passenger-kilometer, or revenue for each seat flown per kilometer, should grow between 15 and 18 percent in 2011, according to a Tam statement posted on the website of Brazil’s securities regulator. …

More from the Miami Herald

• Tam Airlines offers direct daily flights from Miami and Orlando International airports to São Paulo.

Beto Richa é empossado governador do Paraná

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —  The year began for Beto Richa at Palácio Iguaçu as he was sworn into office as Governor of the state of Paraná.  The Palácio Iguaçu (Devil’s Palace) is the seat of government located in the capitol city of Curitiba, where Richa was most recently its mayor.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Beto Richa governor is sworn in and takes office in Delhi Palace

Beto Richa The governor and lieutenant governor Flávio Arns were sworn in office just now, at 10 am in the Legislative Assembly. The ceremony began with a salute to the new governor by the chairman of the Legislature, Mr. Nelson Justus. Then Beto Richa gave an undertaking to fulfill the constitutional position and soon after, took office as governor. Accompanied by his wife Fernanda, Richa received military honors and went to the Delhi Palace, seat of government of Parana, where he received the office of then Governor Orlando Pessuti.

The city of Curitiba is a Jacksonville Sister City.  Curitiba Mayor Beto Richa and Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton signed the  Sister City designation  in March 2009 - the Brazil Jacksonville Alliance played an integral role in the culmination of the agreement.

From left: Harrold Jonkers, Joshua Rodriggs, Mayor John Peyton, Helen Parker, Mayor Beta Richa

(*see further photo identification below)

As of May 2010 Brazil – Jacksonville Alliance is doing Business as Brazil – Florida Alliance (BFA). While implementing the new strategy, and with continuous support efforts of our members we will develop several networking and training opportunities among Florida companies that share the common goal of growing and developing business with Brazil or Latin America through Brazil.

It’s common knowledge that Brazil is and has been Florida’s number one trading partner for years. Through the initial efforts or Brazil – Florida Alliance (BFA), a city to city relationship was formalized that connected not only Jacksonville to Curitiba – Brazil but also established a better opportunity for Jacksonville and Orlando to work together in developing business with Brazil through Curitiba, a twin city in common for both Florida cities. — Joshua Rodriggs, President, BFA

Expect the synergistic relationship forged between the Richa administration and BFA to broaden in 2011 as  Florida and Paraná seek new methods to increase their economies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sister City Signing photograph from left: Herrald Jonkers, President, Jacksonville Sister Cities Assoc., Joshua Rodriggs, President, Brazil Jacksonville (Florida) Alliance, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, Helen Parker, San Jose Rotary Club and Curitiba Mayor Beto Richa – now Governor of the state of Paraná.

Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba

(featured photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

• Forbes magazine named Curitiba among their World’s Smartest Cities
• Flipside Florida- On a tour:  Curitiba, Brazil

… today’s “smart” cities tend to be smaller, compact and more efficient: places like Amsterdam; Seattle; Singapore; Curitiba, Brazil; and Monterrey, Mexico. This is not an entirely new notion: Between the 14th and 18th centuries, modest-sized cities like Venice, Italy; Antwerp, Belgium; and Amsterdam nurtured modern capitalism and created canals and vibrant urban quarters that remain wonders even today.

Lo and Behold!

Not  only is Curitiba, Brazil a Jacksonville Sister city, it is also a Forbes Smartest city. And in Joel Kotkin‘s opinion, what makes a city smart is savvy urban planning, attractive economies and strong infrastructure.

… Not all the world’s “smart” cities are trading giants like Hong Kong and Singapore. They also include well-run metropolises, such as the city of Curitiba. The south Brazilian city is regarded as an innovator in everything from bus-based rapid transit, used by some 70% of residents, and its balanced, diverse economic development strategy.

Curitiba may not have the canals of Venice, Antwerp or Brussels, but its urban transit system runs as smoothly as a gliding gondola.

… Curitiba’s bus system is composed of a hierarchical system of services. Minibuses routed through residential neighborhoods feed passengers to conventional buses on circumferential routes around the central city and on inter-district routes. The backbone of the system is composed of the Bus Rapid Transit, operating on the five main arteries leading into the center of the city like spokes on a wheel hub. (Courtesy of Kotkin’s provided link)

Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit by Inhabitat/Emily

Curitiba’s  transportation system is integral part of its “diverse economic development strategy.”   According to a Curitiba Metropolitan Economic Strategy Report (Be forewarned –  the MESR is a 30-page PDF file and is not particularly light reading):

… The growth of the city was not haphazard; the cultivation of the environment and the careful planning and integration of public transportation played a large part in the decision of workers and corporations to move to the metropolitan area.

… Curitiba’s four industry networks (automotive manufacturing, communications software and information technology (IT), infrastructure, and tourism) have grown since the 1970s due to the ability of the metropolitan area to attract skilled workers and international employers. [Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, HSBC, Siemens, ExxonMobil, Electrolux and Kraft Foods].

THE ECOLOGICAL CAPITAL OF BRAZIL!

Beyond the current connotation of an energy-efficient   “Green City,”   Curitiba is literally green:  Twenty-eight city parks ~ 5,190 acres of linear parks along rivers and streams act as  buffers between flood-prone rivers and the city.

Curitiba’s trademark park, Botanical Garden  of Curitiba, is styled after French gardens ~ fountains, waterfalls and lakes, a massive art nouveau greenhouse inspired by the Crystal Palace in London. The Botanic Museum is a global research center for botanists of native flora from Atlantic Forests of eastern Brazil. The fourth largest herbarium in the country is located  on the grounds, as well as campus of Federal University of Paraná. (Curitiba is the capitol city of the Paraná, Brazil).

Opera de Arame

Another of Curitiba’s impressive parks is  Parque das Pedreiras (Quarry Park) and home the 2,600-seat Ópera de Arame (The Wire Opera) – The structure is built on three-levels around an old quarry, complete with waterfall and carp pond.

And this completes this post’s savvy tour of Curitiba, Brazil.

p.s.  Go there and back again to Brazil-Jacksonville Alliance, June 2009 - Based on the minutes of one BJA meeting  updating status on educational and business ties with Curitiba).