Smart City Expo 2016 is Cities for Citizens

After the huge success of the 2015 edition, with more than 14,000 visitors and 105 countries attending the show, Fira de Barcelona readies the sixth edition focusing on citizens and the circular economy.

This November we will celebrate the sixth edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the world’s top event for smart cities and innovative urban solutions. This edition, which takes place here in Barcelona in Fira Gran Via on Nov. 15–17, will focus on cities for citizens. At the same time as the Expo we will also hold the Circular Economy European Summit, which will give us the blueprint for how to evolve towards a circular economy.

The SCEWC started in 2011 with the goal of creating the world’s largest platform for doing business and exchanging ideas on how to generate progress globally through more connected, sustainable and liveable cities, in other words, urban centers that improve the quality of life for their residents.

Over these past few years we have seen a huge evolution in the concept of smart cities thanks to growing interest around the world. As a result, in 2016 we have held four very successful regional events:

• In Puebla, Mexico, we tackled the subject of urban innovation with the goal of generating more equitable cities.
• In Casablanca, Morocco, we talked about cities that are open, innovative and inclusive.
• In Istanbul, Turkey, the discussion centered around how a connected society can improve the politics of town planning, mobility and energy.
• And finally in Kyoto, Japan, we talked about how smart cities can help generate economic wealth, as well as security and quality of life for people.

These four events demonstrate a wealth of interest in urban innovation, and reinforce the already excellent World Congress we hold in Barcelona every November.

It’s worth pointing out that in November, along with the Smart City Expo World Congress, we will hold a series of first rate events: European Utility Week, the most important meeting in Europe for energy, grids, metering and renewables, as well as Iwater, Fira de Barcelona’s new show about the whole water cycle.

We will talk about new trends in economic collaboration, commons, energy innovation, sustainable mobility, disruptive technology, co-production, co-creation, open data and improvements in education, health etc. that have a direct daily impact on the quality of life of millions of people.

The congress will bring together 400 speakers to talk about different aspects of six core areas: Governance, Mobility, Society, Data and Technology, Sustainability and the Economy.

As for Keynote Speakers we are counting on some of the biggest gurus in urban innovation, such as geo-strategic expert Parag Khanna, who just published Connectography, in which he maps out the future of global civilization; David Bollier, a North American activist and expert on communal strategies; and Susan Etlinger, an expert in analytics, data and its ethical use.

In addition to showcasing products, solutions and projects, the exhibition area is a space where big corporations, city stands, startups, and academic and innovative centers come together. This year we expect booths from all around the world: New York, Israel, Qatar, India, China, Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Mexico, Turkey, Germany etc. For anyone attending the three-day event, they will have the unparalleled opportunity of getting to know first hand what is going on in the sector.

At the Circular Economy Summit we will work to generate change that will help shift our society to a new economic model that is more sustainable, fair and rich. We are certain that this change will happen through the commitments that city businesses and residents make. We will have the support of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and top experts to tell us their experiences and teach us how to head down the path to a Circular Economy.

As you can see, Smart City Expo World Congress will be an unmissable event this year. We expect you all at Fira Barcelona this November so that together we can create cities for citizens, and a more just, habitable and sustainable world.