MIL Cities and the Relational Factor: Reflections and inflections around pilot initiatives in Havana and Zaragoza

Abstract

This article analyses the concept of the Media and Information Literate (MIL) City, using the methodologies of case studies, qualitative observation, the relationship, information and communication technologies (R-TIC) model, and 20 Cultural Barriers in Communication and 5 Dimensions of Creativity (20BCC-5DCR). Launched by UNESCO in 2018, the MIL city is a paradigm that considers 13 indicators and 262 metrics, with the citizen as its central axis. It is characterised by the integration of physical and digital cities, as well as the erosion of cultural barriers to communication, which is why it is related to the construct of relationship, information and communication technologies (R-TIC) and their subsequent dimensions. The analysis methodology here consists of a case study analysing the application of R-TIC and MIL city parameters to two pilot locations, Soñar contigo in Havana (Cuba), and El Gancho coworking space in Zaragoza (Spain). As a main conclusion, we see how these types of places aim to overcome cultural barriers of communication to become relational spaces for the convergence of multi-diversity and the various R-TIC dimensions, predominantly axiological, emotional and entrepreneurial. These locations can act not only as live experimental examples, but also as places of irradiation in the practice of the MIL city paradigm in urban territories.