Uploaded on 2014-11-30 by rociocarvajo

Based on my experience and judgment, the five most liveable cities I know are: Stockholm (Sweden), Montreal (Canada), Munich (Germany), Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and Bristol (UK). In order to choose these cities, I identified the following five characteristics that, from my point of view, make a city liveable: 1. Stability: social and cultural tolerance, peaceful environment, low criminality. 2. Opportunities for development: from a personal, professional and community perspective. It includes access to education, positive economic environment, family support, housing, etc. 3. Cultural dynamism: in terms of cultural production and consumption 4. Public services: parks, public transportation, infrastructures, cleanliness, healthcare, etc. 5. Connected to the world Originally from Seville (Spain), I decided to move to Montreal because it has all the main characteristics that, from my opinion, make a city liveable. Although Montreal is getting out of a big institutional corruption scandal, it is creating the needed positive environment to reinvent the city. After a rapport made by a bank and a consulting group in which they analyzed seven other cities worldwide which had turned themselves around after a difficult period (Boston, Manchester, Melbourne, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Seattle), “I see Montreal” was born. It is a website (https://jevoismtl.com/?set_user_language=en_GB) where citizens can submit and comment on projects. It is also an organizing committee supported by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, which selected projects and participants for a big pubic gathering which took place on November 17th, 2014. More than 200 projects were discussed and they all signed engagement letters in which specific deadlines and actions where defined. These projects come from the community — from businesspeople, community organizations, representatives of the cultural sector, students and so on. They have four main objectives: reinforcing Montreal’s identity; attracting and retaining talented people; stimulating business creation and growth; and making the metropolis a more appealing place to live. ![I SEE MONTREAL_logo][1] Montreal may not be the most liveable city from a ranking-oriented perspective, but it has a great present and an open and bright future. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1417387582907598.jpg