The Tijuana-San Diego area can become a formidable economic mega region, influential speakers from distinct fields said over and over again during Tijuana Innovadora, which ended with a joyous celebration Sunday night.

But that transformation cannot happen without the active participation of the city´s residents, they agreed.

"This conference showed, particularly to our young people, that they can do it!," exclaimed the event´s co-founder and president, José Galicot. "Sí se puede!"

A total of 918,446 attended the 11-day conference, according to preliminary figures. That´s up 32 per cent from the inaugural conference in 2010, which lasted 15 days.

Organizers reached out to leaders in key sectors across San Diego County for several months, telling Tijuana´s story and inviting them to attend the conference.

A total of 1,386 accepted that invitation, arriving in a special bus, touring the exhibits, attending keynote addresses and panel discussions and then attending receptions in a bi-national terrace.

The conference consisted of a wide range of speakers and a colorful, interactive product expo. Organizers offered several new components this year, including a Culinary Battle and InnovaModa fashion show.

Also new were the 74 workshops, which were attended by 14,800 people, and a variety of cultural events attended by 24,590 at the conference venue, Centro Cultural Tijuana.

As for the speakers, they stressed that the most important component for Tijuana to reach its potential was citizen engagement, not private companies or governments, which change frequently.

And they agreed that nothing else exemplified that engagement better than Tijuana Innovadora, which was organized by a group of residents and supported by around 2,000 more who volunteered their time in the last year to make it a reality.

The citizen participation was evident the last night of the conference, when thousands danced simultaneously at the cultural center to celebrate their affection for Tijuana. The event, known as Pa´ Bailar, was followed by a huge outdoor concert by the popular Tijuana-based electronic group Nortec Bostich + Fussible.

Speakers from Mexico, the United States and other countries stressed that Tijuana has the elements to become a world-class city, and together with San Diego, a formidable economic region.

"There´s no reason why the Tijuana-San Diego region cannot become one of the mega-regions that power the global economy," Richard Florida, an influential urban expert and bestselling author, told a sold-out audience Saturday night.

A magnate from India, Anand Mahindra, noted that leading international investors are now touting the virtues of Mexico.

"It used to be BRIC," said Mahindra, referring to the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

"Not it´s MIST," he said, a reference to Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey, now considered the largest emerging markets. "And that´s bad news for my country."

Mahindra, who spoke at Tijuana Innovadora, owns dozens of companies and employs around 140,000 worldwide. He said that he would like to open a plant somewhere in Mexico to manufacture tractors but he´s concerned about the investment laws he would face.

Another speaker, Alan Bersin, also looked beyond China to what Tijuana and Mexico have the power to become.

"Think Beyond NAFTA. Mexico , the United States and Canada can form an economic superpower," said Bersin, who is Assistant Secretary of International Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, and a familiar figure at the border.

"There is enormous opportunity here that´s not being utilized," said Bersin, who urged the citizens from both sides of the border to continue to work together to effect change.

"Build a binational prosperity and the other problems will take care of themselves," he said.

Hours before the conference ended, Galicot was asked what were the lessons of Tijuana Innovadora.

"That we have to believe in ourselves," he said. "That we have the knowledge to become ´makers´ not just ´assemblers´"

It´s a message aimed particularly at young people, he said.

"We have planted in them a tiny seed of what´s possible."

Editorial@sandiegored.com