An Inspiring Week at SCEWC
A true smart city goes beyond data; it fosters vibrant communities where technology serves people—prioritizing the needs of all, especially the most vulnerable.
Reflections from on an inspiring week at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona!
From powerful discussions to diverse perspectives, the event’s programming challenged the tech-focused view of smart cities. Many sessions, including my own, emphasized the human side—using tech to make cities more equitable, accessible, and inclusive for all.
Sessions with officials, researchers, tech leaders, and non-profits emphasized social justice and urban equity, showing technology as a bridge, not a barrier. Cheryll Case (CP Planning) highlighted investing in human-rights based, community, and grassroots solutions, while Maria Noel Vaeza (UN Women) and Laura Valdés (Metropolis) talked about the importance of addressing gender issues and supporting the caring city—topics that resonate deeply with me.
In a compelling session on Redefining Livability for the Citizens of Tomorrow, City of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell reminded us that change is and making strides in climate resilience, health, and housing, means uplifting everyone and addressing the needs of all, even if it means bringing some along “kicking and screaming.”
Chairing a Session on Creating Smart Cities for All
I had the pleasure of chairing the session Urban Innovation: Creating Cities for All on impactful strategies from time use policies and citizen participation to digital accessibility and wellbeing metrics to prioritize equality, accessibility, and dignity in urban settings.
Panel: Marta Junqué (Time Use Initiative), Mariusz Sagan, PhD (Lublin Municipal Office), Jennifer Russell, CSEP (INCOSE), Carla Kranenborg-van Eerd (Municipality of Breda), Anneli Simm (Tallinn University of Technology).
I’m grateful for the chance to connect with so many brilliant minds—special thanks to Pilar Conesa, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Honorata Grzesikowska, Laura Valdés, Camille Tallon, Hadir Hanna Al Koshta, and more. Big shout-out to Clàudia Gomis Lleal for the invitation.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to see these themes also prominently featured on the Expo floor itself. Imagine the expo packed with technologies that drive civic participation, democratize urban design, and serve means to breaking cycles of inequality in cities worldwide.
As cities are at the forefront of global challenges—from climate change to rising inequalities, housing unaffordability, conflict, and mass displacement—it was such a pleasure to come together with 25K+ leaders at SCEWC24 to advance solutions in urban mobility, housing, equity, and sustainability.
A closing thought: consider that a city’s true intelligence may lie in its empathy and its people.
From powerful discussions to diverse perspectives, the event’s programming challenged the tech-focused view of smart cities. Many sessions, including my own, emphasized the human side—using tech to make cities more equitable, accessible, and inclusive for all.
About Smart City Expo World Congress – 2024 Barcelona
Held annually in Barcelona since 2011, the Smart City Expo World Congress is the most influential global event for cities and urban innovation. Each year, the event gathers leaders from international businesses, governments, and organizations to drive cities toward a brighter future.
The SCEWC’s goal is “collectivize urban innovation across the globe and empower cities to tackle the critical challenges facing them today. We’re on a mission to accelerate a brighter urban paradigm towards green, efficient and thriving cities that leave no one behind.”