July 23, 2024

2023 Annual Report: Official Release and Key Highlights

Sophie Zermatten

The Edgelands Institute is proud to announce the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing a year of impactful initiatives and research in urban security and digital integrity.

Participants of MATZA Medellín holding the program's banner

The Edgelands Institute is proud to announce the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing a year of impactful initiatives and research in urban security and digital integrity. The report highlights significant achievements across four cities: Medellín, Cúcuta, Geneva, and Nairobi.

In Medellín, the Institute concluded its project with a comprehensive report on surveillance technology and urban security, hosted the first local Fellowship, and partnered with Hablemos Medellín for public dialogue on digital security.

Cúcuta saw participatory research and community workshops culminating in a final report with key recommendations for security and tech governance. In Geneva, the Institute celebrated a constitutional amendment for digital integrity with overwhelming citizen support and organized multi-stakeholder forums on transparency and surveillance.

Nairobi’s efforts included the release of a diagnostic report on surveillance practices, research sprints, and collaborations with Magnum Photography to visually explore surveillance issues.

Additionally, the Institute published its first art book documenting initiatives across cities, developed frameworks for algorithmic surveillance and AI localism, and hosted the second cohort of international fellows.

Looking ahead, the Edgelands Institute plans to expand its projects to Houston, focusing on digital security in public education, and conduct research on Open Source Software and cyber-vulnerabilities, continuing its mission to address urban security challenges through innovative, community-driven solutions.

Read the full report here.