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bogotÁ

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contents introduction 5 bogotá gateway to colombia 9 bogotá convention bureau prime cathedral 10 bogotá a destination for congresses and events 11 bogotá a destination for tourists 31 san francisco historic church and avianca building colombia a destination to be discovered 41 convention centers and non-traditional venues 49 internacional center hotels 63 3

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introduction s askia sassen s «the global city» 1991 prophesied that the most successful cities of the 21st-century would be those that have the capacity to influence world affairs be yond their own economic social cultural and political power she is a dutch sociologist and specialist in urban planning from columbia university and currently a guest lecturer at the london school of economics she believes that there are just eight key factors for that success its name must be familiar on the international scene it must be a regular place for events of artistic and cultural importance it must be the center of a great conurbation with a sufficiently large metropolitan population with an airport which acts as an international and local hub it must be cosmopolitan it must have a cultural environment of its own generated by film festivals musical events art galleries and so on and finally it must be the home of a wide range of international concerns which make it a major business city if indeed the secret of success of cities lies in these eight factors in this changing challenging globalized world of the 21st century in a society of knowledge and technology then bogotá is on the right track to occupy a privileged place in a virtuous circle of cities that have confirmed their positions as new poles of social economic cultural and political development the world bank s recent survey of the most attractive cities for doing business ranks bogotá as number 37 in 2010 only two years ago the city ranked only no 83 this survey reflects the effort that bogotá has made to cut red tape and other obstacles and so encourage foreign direct investment the fact is that we have gone about this task with great care procedures are shortereven in local building permits taxpayers can make electronic payments and we continue to work on improvements from there on up the world bank survey classifies bogotá as the most attractive city for investment anywhere in latin america investor confidence is on the increase and indeed bogotá is now one of the most attractive capitals in the world to do business perhaps i should explain why bogotá and the region around it generate almost a third of colombia s gdp and its economy is greater than ecuador and uruguay facing page view of the international centre the church of san diego in the foreground bogotá stretches out over the savannah from the high hills to the east 5

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bogotá a city of contrasts where colonial houses in the historic center stand side by side with modern infrastructure facing page palacio lievano bogotá s city hall on the west side of the bolivar square the importance of bogotá can be summarized in some figures which show how cosmopolitan it is and its importance as an economic and cultural capital there are 860 multinationals home based in the city last year only usd1 200 millions flowed in 690,000 visitors made it the most important tourist destination for foreigners visiting colombia hotel occupancy is 67 the most recent version of the ibero-american theatre festival attracted 3 million spectators and artists from more than 45 countries 80 of colombia s research is conducted in bogotá there are over 200 miles of permanent bikeways and another 70 miles of thoroughfares used as bike-streets for cyclists at weekends there are 114 higher education institutions which take in 450,000 students every year we have set up an agenda for 24 major issues to be resolved together in order to create the first major city-region in colombia among these issues are the cleaning up of the bogotá river water supplies the creation of satellite cities and the promotion of production and export´s culture i firmly believe that our city faces the world with a global and modern mission and solidarity determined to be able to place the benefits of economic development at the service of all the future begins here la candelaria neighborhood samuel moreno-rojas mayor of bogotá calle 63 by av 68 parkway transmilenio bus rapid transit brt system 6

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bogotá gateway to colombia addressed to fulfill expectations capitalizing on the city s offer of attractions it must bring an even larger numbers of tourists and establish the city as a competitive destination that is one which satisfies tourists businessmen and investors the authority in bogotá is instituto distrital de turismo idt responsible for promoting the economic development of the city through tourism and for securing the best conditions of competitiveness and sustainability idt also works on building up relations between the public and private sectors for joint actions which will have an impact on the city strengthen tourism service providers bring forward tourist products encourage local tourism management and arrange trainsculpture by fernando botero el renacimiento park e very city has a tourist authority its job is to ensure that tourism is a factor in local economic development it works to generate an innovative portfolio of tourist products ing events this has led to a substantial increase in the number of tourists the positioning of hotel projects and many other successes further idt has drawn up bogotá s tourism policy a plan for tourism marketing and a plan for the transformation of the city into a sustainable tourist destination the destination t avenida chile financial center he population of bogotá is about 8 million with the largest share of colombia s gdp and one of its leading centers of tourism major international hotel chains are there alongside others that addressed the specialized market for business visitors it is a truly national city it has the largest number of museums almost 70 including of course the gold museum bogotá is home to over a hundred different nationalities and the offer of good food has made it a destination with the greatest number of restaurants in the country many of them specializing in international cuisine other special features of bogotá include offers of health ­ clinics spas and beauty treatments for shopping it offers the largest number of malls with all the best known luxury brands bulgari loewe louis vuitton are just some of them a large number of businesses have set themselves up in bogotá and this has attracted a generation of families with children and teenagers who are a driving force in the cosmopolitan dynamic and youthful face of the city this can be seen in the intensive social life at the zona rosa and parque de la 93 bogotá is framed by the majestic hills along its eastern side and the meadowlands which stretch out to the west to a large number of places of interest such as the salt cathedral of zipaquirá which is part of colombia s national cultural and religious heritage we invite you to discover our culture and to come to bogotá the gateway to colombia the capitol nohora isabel vargas-castro director idt museo de arte colonial 9

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a strategic ally for events in bogotá bogotÁ a destination for congresses and events rounds and incentive travel bcb is therefore your ally to provide innovative forms of attractions for international meetings and to support the convention and incentive travel industry it has marketing and sales programs and is a point of contact between the organizers of the events institutional or professional affiliated members and the city government among its affiliates are the travel agencies hotels restaurants theme parks convention centers auditoriums and professional event s organizers on an institutional level the bogotá chamber of commerce and instituto distrital de turismo idt are also members of the bureau t he bogotá convention bureau bcb is a private non-profit organization created to promote bogotá as a destination for meetings events conventions fairs business bogotá convention bureau calle 99 no 9a-45 suite 401 bogotá colombia tels 571 610 3879 610 3895 www.bogotacb.co e mail cdominguez@bogotacb.com mpinzon@bogotacb.com

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this is bogotá or international corporate event and by night and at weekends offers a very wide range of amusement excellent cuisine nightlife shopping and interesting gatherings of all kinds especially cultural ones bogotá stands on the central range of the andes at 2,640 m.a.s.l 8660 ft with a spring-like weather throughout the year the average temperature is 14°c 57°f by day and falls by night to 10°c 50°f there are no seasons but some months are wetter than others its privileged location means that there are a large number of daily connections by air with the world s major cities making it a strategic option for business and international b ogotá is a busy bustling city full of sounds colors and flavors it is a city with a spirit of ongoing discovery which by day is cosmopolitan and perfect for any kind of local the high hills to the east tower over the city with its dense vegetation and pleasant tropical climate 2,660ft above sea level 13

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the historic center and the international center offer some of bogotá s most characteristic architecture facing page the avenida jiménez environmental corridor designed by rogelio salmona and built in 1998-2000 over san francisco river in the background monserrate events the time zone is the same as the us east coast which is highly convenient for work activities throughout the continent bogotá is the political administrative and economic center of colombia it houses the executive legislature and judiciary branches and is the home of the president of the republic the metropolis is divided into 20 localities which in turn represent more than 1000 districts the city government is in the hands of a mayor and a council elected every four years in the last ten years there have been important changes in the face of bogotá modern architecture stands in contrast to the magic of the spanish colonial past with public space marked by squares and the distinctive grid of streets and avenues there are attracthe cathedral on bolivar square national cultural heritage tions of all kinds with a wide choice of accommodation and facilities for business events and conventions making of bogotá a unique destination bogotá in the world · bogotá and its surrounding areas form the fourth largest city in south america and the main employment market in colombia 4 million people at work · it is the sixth largest city in latin america after mexico são paulo buenos aires rio de janeiro and lima · bogotá and its surrounding region has a population of 8.5 million of whom 40 are under 40 years old early republican houses in the historic center national cultural heritage · the city of bogotá itself accounts for 25 of colombia s gdp · the estimated per capita income of those who live in the city is the highest in colombia and one of the highest in latin america · the business structure of the bogotá-cundinamarca region is driven by micro-businesses 89 and smes 11 large businesses account for 1 of the total many companies in the region specialize in personal and business services in 2008 the largest sector was commerce 39 followed by manufacturing industry 13.7 · bogotá s privileged location makes it the natural center of large number of direct daily flights to major cities in the world and a strategic option in the hemisphere figures from the ministry of industry trade and tourism show that 52 of tourists arriving in colombia have bogotá as their final destination torres del parque complex national arquitectural heritage by rogelio salmona 15

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· during january-june 2009 the number of foreign visitors to colombia grew 10.2 compared to the first half of 2008 · in 2009 for the seventh consecutive year bogotá improved its ranking among the best cities to do business in latin america according to the annual america economia intelligence report now ranks sixth among 50 major cities in the region · in 2008 bogotá-cundinamarca confirmed its position as the most attractive region for foreign direct investment with 70 of the total investment arriving in colombia in sectors such as industry 49 and services 45 mainly in transport financial and commerce sectors · according to the region s observatory managed by the bogotá chamber of commerce bogotá is recognized by foreigners as the fourth most important city-brand after santiago buenos aires and são paulo · every year more multinationals and other foreign companies come to colombia to do business and open offices in 2008 there were 825 foreign companies in bogotá which is more than other cities considered as business centers such as santiago and rio de janeiro · in the first quarter of 2009 the bogotá region was the main exporter of goods in colombia the most important markets were venezuela 30 united states 20 and ecuador 10 · according to icca international congress and convention association who ranks countries and cities around the world by the number of international events held each year bogotá continues to improve its position during 2009 it escalated 29 places beating others such as hong kong miami los angeles and frankfurt · bogotá is one of the most important historic sites in south america with 132 national monuments 28 spanish-colonial churches and large numbers of squares used for celebrations to commemorate landmarks in colombia s history · there are 329 hotels and other forms of accommodation 180 receptive travel agencies 165 first-class local or international restaurants 73 meeting centers and auditoriums 90 art galleries 58 museums and 45 theaters to be visited · bogotá has the best-quality drinking water in latin america principal international destinations atlanta aruba barcelona buenos aires caracas curaçao fort lauderdale guayaquil habana houston lima los Ángeles madrid méxico d.f miami new york orlando panamá city punta cana parís quito rio de janeiro san josé de costa rica são paulo santiago de chile toronto 5 hr 30 min 1 hr 45 min 11 hr 6 hr 10 min 50 min 1 hr 50 min 3 hr 30 min 2 hr 2 hr 30 min 5 hr 3 hr 11hr 13 hr 4hr 20 min 4 hr 40 min 5 hr 30 min 3 hr 40 min 1 hr 30 min 2 hr 40 min 11 hr 30 min 1 hr 30 min 3 hr 50 min 1 hr 45 min 3 hr 50 min 5 hr 7 hr 10 min +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +1 12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 estocolmo londres seattle pekín seoul hong kong manila méxico panamá caracas lagos nairobi lima río de janeiro sidney santiago buenos aires el cabo johanesburgo tokyo los angeles chicago montreal nueva york miami berlín varsovia moscú paris roma madrid estambul teherán atenas jerusalén el cairo riyad principal domestic destinations bucaramanga barranquilla cali medellín pereira santa marta san andrés cartagena 1 hr 1 hr 25 min 50 min 30 min 50 min 1 hr 25 min 2 hr 1hr 20 min +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +1 12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 airlines operating in colombia avianca aerorepública aerolíneas argentinas air canadá air france american airlines continental copa airlines cubana de aviación delta dutch antilles emirates airlines iberia jetblue lacsa lan chile lan perú lufthansa mexicana de aviación spirit singapore airlines taca 16 17

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the street infrastructure is modern and is being continuously improved the transmilenio mass transit system a model for the world geo-strategy and world confluence principal domestic destinations name armenia barranquilla bucaramanga cali cartagena ibagué medellín manizales avenida el dorado con su cicloruta pedestrian bridges for the transmilenio system b ogotá is the largest center for cargo and the third largest passenger mobilizer in latin america distance km 292 986 393 487 1073 206 399 362 308 334 951 98 time 7 hr 17 hr 8 hr 8 hr 18 hr 6 hr 9 hr 8 hr 5 hr 7 hr 16 hr 3 hr el dorado international airport el dorado located 11 km 7 miles from downtown occupies 690 ha with two runways and a freight terminal it is the hub for national and international traffic in colombia the main international airlines serving bogotá include avianca-taca copa lan american airlines delta continental air france iberia lufthansa emirates airlines singapore airlines and some low-cost operators many of them have daily connections to other major cities in colombia today this airport is undergoing its greatest restructuring ever a radical modernization program will enable it to move 16 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of freight a year in the medium term becoming one of the most functional terminals in latin america there are two terminals the international terminal to the south for those going on to other countries and the domestic terminal to the north for local flights only neiva pereira santa marta villavicencio ist information points where english-speaking staff provides free advice on all aspects of bogotá satellite terminals four satellite terminals are now in the process of construction at exit points of the city with improved environmental benefits better mobilization security productivity and less bridges on calle 92 a transmilenio station puente aéreo terminal the puente aéreo terminal is half a mile from el dorado international airport and used exclusively by avianca to operate local flights to medellín cali bucaramanga cartagena santa marta montería pasto and other domestic destinations it s vip rooms have been nominated and won awards for the quality of its installations facilities and technology such as wireless internet buffet and working areas damage to the road system transmilenio the pride of bogotá t ransmilenio is a mass transit system with its own carriageways which came into service in 2001 it uses two or three-module bendy-buses this system is an example not only for the improvement of the traffic system but intercity transport f also to help control climate change since it works on diesel and produces less than half the nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emitted by the former generation of buses the transmilenio model has been adopted by 12 other cities around the world including mexico jakarta and ahmedabad india its efficiency is recognized by major pubavenida caracas avenida jimenez at carrera 7 rom venezuela in land transportation starts in cúcuta and from ecuador the route stars at ipiales the bus terminal has modern installations with on-line information points public service information desks round-the-clock taxi operations shops banks atms and tour lic and private organizations including the united nations 18 19

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with its pleasant public spaces and modern infrastructure ­ including south america s longest bikeway ­ and generous green zones bogotá offers excellent quality of life the bikeway network the longest in latin america 4 and 5-star hotels in bogotá hotel andino royal el belvedere ghl bogotá plaza summit hotel bogotá regency bogotá royal capital ghl casa dann carlton gonzalo jimenez de quesada convention center rooms 70 39 190 92 142 215 242 64 58 300 578 80 102 96 218 92 41 82 43 66 239 72 251 61 247 68 127 largest meeting room 30 50 400 180 500 180 750 45 80 800 2.500 300 250 140 230 200 70 80 150 35 800 20 250 120 1.000 160 300 t he bikeway network has some 344 kilometers 215 miles covering almost the whole city these routes are fun to ride along safe and healthy you don t have to be a high performance sportsperson to pedal your way almost anywhere in the city at some times of day and for some destinations it is often quicker to go on a bicycle where any other forms of transport are excluded model bikeride streets for south america charleston charleston casa medina cosmos 100 crownw plaza tequendama dann colonial de la feria estelar embassy suites estelar la fontana estelar suites jones ghl hamilton court o n sundays and public holidays between 7:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m some of bogotá s thoroughfares become recreational bikeride streets and all other forms of transport are excluded skaters athletes or simple walkers also use them the bike ride streets are not only a model in south america they have also become the most important focus of recreation and sporting amusements where more than a million people use them every weekend the system uses main streets so that one can easily cross the city from north to south and east to west the idea behind it is to encourage peaceful coexistence integration and appropriate uses of public space the scheme is also designed to create awarebikeway in parque el virrey puentes de la calle 92 ness of good ways to use free time and a sense of belonging to the city hacienda royal hotel de la Ópera la boheme royal marriot bogotá pavillon royal radisson royal rosales plaza sheraton ghl suites 101 park house windsor house ghl a 5-star destination bogotá hotels offer highest international standards led by major chains such as sheraton marriot hilton ghl nh estelar crowne plaza royal and summit these hotels offer some 12,000 rooms which will be increased by 4,000 new rooms in the next five years as a result of investment by international chains such as hilton sonesta ibis diplomat and holiday inn aside from the offer of accommodation many of these hotels offer excellent installations for conventions equipment audiovisual aids and infrastructure to organize events lobby of the hotel crowne plaza tequendama golf course at the country club all hotels have a business center and boardband internet hotel projects in progress in 2010 hotel nh 93 150 rooms jw marriott 265 rooms estelar eldorado 134 rooms hilton 72 gran hotel 245 rooms hotel gran estación 367 rooms sonesta 127 rooms diplomat 261 rooms nh bogotá 256 rooms ibis bogotá museo 218 rooms 20 21

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bogotá has the largest installed capacity in colombia for events congresses fairs and exhibitions the corferias international fairground has 22 pavilions and hosts specialized events year-round a major destination for fairs and conventions b ogotá is colombia s main destination for congresses fairs and events its facilities account for 31 of the total national offer aside from 195 venues in high-class hotels and specialized centers there are 65 convention centers and auditoriums available a large international fairground with a wide selection of services and leading-edge technology the corferias international fairground has 22 pavilions a covered area of 62,500 square meters and 15,000 square meters of open-air exhibition area the offer of non-traditional venues include colonial museums modern facilities converted farmhouse-mansions in the outskirts of the city amid spectacular scenery theme-restaurants and bars with original offers and exquisite menus audiovisual aids and leading-edge technology andrés carne de res el portico museo nacional maloka the botanical garden monserrate casa de la moneda museo del chicó castillo del mono osorio and castillo de marroquín are just some of the items on a very long list there is also a wide offer of professional congress operators trained to provide logistics required in catering professional organization simultaneous translation booth and panel rentals displays furniture and decoration communications technology lighting specialized transport tour operators support personnel-and much more maloka interactive center a center of major international events jose celestino mutis botanical garden e very year bogotá is the regular venue of a large number of concerts fairs and events such as january/february · destinocolombia­travelmart a business round held every year during the anato tourism industry fair addressed to travel agencies hotels and event organizers the purpose of the event is to promote the development of specialized tourist products for colombia and to look into alternatives for sustainable tourism · semanadelamoda­fashionweek for a whole week designers and manufacturers of clothing leather-goods and shoes come together to display the latest trends the bogotá chamber of commerce building 22 23

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the capital has an active cultural life many number of events take place round the year many of world class such as the iberoamerican theatre festival held every two years rock al parque and the international book fair · temporadataurinabullfightingseason colombian and foreign bullfighters show off their talents in the santa maria bullring march april · festivaliberoamericanodeteatroibero-americantheaterfestival this festival is one of the largest scenic art festivals in the world bringing together a great numbers of visitors functions and diversity in various types of performances held every two years · feriadelentretenimientoyjuegosdeazarentertainmentandgamingfair the fair is a specialized trade show for the entertainment recreation and games of chance industries it promotes business technology transfer and marketing tools rock-in-the-park may/june · temporadadezarzuelazarzuelaseason a first-class selection of lyrical works from around the world · feriadejóvenesempresariosyoungentrepreneurshipfair a unique event in latin america the fair promotes exchange between young entrepreneurs and buyers interested in financing and investing in their projects · expoconstrucciónydiseñoconstructionanddesignfair this is a specialized event bringing together the construction industry architects designers decorators and the most important schools of architecture engineering and design in colombia it is the largest national show for materials machinery input and equipment for architectural visual and industrial design interior and exterior decoration · feriainternacionaldellibrointernationalbookfair one of the three largest publishing events in latin america an important source of business for the colombian and international publishing sector many would agree that it is the most important cultural event in colombia and the andean region · rockalparquerock-in-the-parkfestival this is a free open-air festival the largest of its kind in latin america and the most important mass event in bogotá it takes place once a year with bands well known in colombia and throughout the world the event is organized by city hall the city culture recreation and sports department idrd and the bogotá philharmonic orchestra · feriadebellezaysaludhealthandwellnessfair the fair brings together the best the santamaria bullring opera season known colombian and foreign professionals in a wide range of skills related to com 24 25

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prehensive personal care for men and women showing off the latest trends in beauty facial and body aesthetics hairdressing and cosmetology · bogotáinernacionalyespectacularinternational,spectacularbogotá an opportunity for visitors to take a trip through the countries that exhibit their tourist offer and their leading commercial and cultural attractions other features include concerts films cycles musical groups food and shows of typical dances and more july/august · festivaldeveranosummerfestival this festival is a highly popular event mounted to commemorate the foundation of bogotá with a cultural sporting and recreational program · agroexpo this event is probably the largest agribusiness generator in latin america here you will find a superb exhibition of the farming and agribusiness sector with judging and auctions of cattle sheep and goats there are seminars and lectures exhibitions of agricultural machinery materials and exhibits from the food service industry · footwearandleathershow leather-goods makers show the public the best of colombian and international products with the newest ideas and latest developments in clothing shoes and materials · feriadelascolonias a cultural and commercial and fair in which all the regions of colombia come together it is a platform on which the public has the opportunity to do the rounds of colombia in a day and enjoy a broad-based program with exhibits of commerce culture good food and a wide range of products services and projects with the most important offer from each of colombia s provinces · mediamaratóndebogotábogotáhalf-marathon the half-marathon is colombia s premier public athletics event in which more than 300,000 people from around the world take part the iaaf has awarded it the gold label a distinction enjoyed by only 24 cities including new york boston and chicago · carnavaldebogotábogotácarnival this is an annual event designed to encourage collective festivities to celebrate life creative expression fun and the sense of belonging to the city september/october · jazzalparquejazz-in-the-parkfestival this event is a free open-air festival mounted by the best bands from colombia and major figures on the world stage corferias pavilion expoartesanias crafts fair a sunday biking street bogotá carnival jazz-in-the-park proflora flower fair feria de las colonias region´s culture fair summer festival 26 27

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· festivaldecinefilmfestival the festival attracts the best of colombia and foreign films in theatres and in the open-air there are prizes for new directors film workshops and exhibitions · proflora this show is the most important flower industry exhibition in the americas colombian and foreign species are on display and providers of plant material and services and other materials come in from all corners of the world november/december · expoartesanias this event is the most important crafts fair in latin america the product of high standards of quality design and innovation the world s media have said the following august 2 2010 kolumbien will zum touristischen höhenflug ansetzen the german magazine touristik aktuell which is probably the most important specialist publication for the tourist industry wrote about colombia in its latest issue and classed it as a high-quality destination particularly recommending bogotá as an interesting tourist attraction with infinity of possibilities july 15 2010 the temptation of the new colombia the canadian newspaper the globe and mail speaks of the rapid changes that have taken place in recent years and the way in which canadian businesses have increased their investments finding a whole new world of opportunities it points to bogotá as the symbol of the rebirth of colombia success stories i n addition to the regular annual events bogotá has also become known for other successful international encounters event iii jornada de solaci región andina world implantology demhist general assembly of house-museums xxiii latin american neurosurgery congress extravaganza herbalife pen world assembly vi latin american congreso of legal anthropology ii latin american congress ­forum on emerging markets eurodent congress xvi latin american conference of esri users cibia ­vii latin american congress of food engineering acrip conference xvii nacional human management congress iii china ­ latin america business summit latin america shared sevices xi encounter colombiano compite viii forum on leadership in infrastructure more information www.bogotacb.com www.esbogota.com dates november 30 2008 august 30 2008 september 22 2008 october 27 ­ 30 2008 february 2009 september 17-22 2008 october 28-31 2008 april 1-2 2009 june 5-6 2009 october 2009 september 6-9 2009 september 23-25 2009 november 22-26 2009 february 2010 march 18 ­ 19 2010 march 21-23 2010 attendance 700 2.500 400 1.600 10.000 200 800 80 2.600 600 800 600 1.600 170 1.500 400 international center la candelaria church parque nacional 28 29

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