UN-Habitat, Madinah set for smart city forum
UN-Habitat and Madinah Region Development Authority are co-organizing the Smart Madinah Forum (SMF2023) to take place in the city of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, from 19 to 21 February 2023. The forum will bring together experts from around the world to discuss the role of innovation and technologies in promoting sustainable development and ultimately improving the quality of life for urban residents.
The forum runs under the patronage of HRH Prince Faisal Bin Salman Al Saud, Governor of Madinah Region, and builds on Madinah City’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Participants worldwide are welcome to join the discussions in Madinah – more attendance information can be found here.
The event is aligned with two of UN-Habitat’s flagship programmes, SDG Cities and People-Centered Smart Cities. “Smart cities can have a tremendous positive impact on people’s lives, but only when people are at the center of the development process. This is why UN-Habitat is advocating for a ‘people-centered smart cities’ approach, which aims to show how smart cities can be an inclusive force for good, improve people’s lives and build city systems that truly serve their communities”, says Pontus Westerberg, Programme Management Officer, Lead People-Centered Smart Cities Flagship Programme, UN-Habitat.
The Smart Madinah Forum SMF2023 will host panels within two main thematic tracks, Sustainable Development Goals and Smart Cities Platforms. The event will feature keynote speeches of the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, and the Lead for the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance at the World Economic Forum, Ms. Christy Mitchell.
“Smart Madinah Forum SMF2023 allows us to reflect on how to use technology for the benefit of the city. We want to open a space for joint reflection, in which we privilege sustainability and human-centricity. We understand technology as a means to enhance the quality of life of our inhabitants and enrich our visitors’ experiences, but never as a goal,” said Abdulrahman Ibrahim, Chief Data and Innovation Officer Madinah Region Development Authority.
The forum is expected to generate debates and highlight best practices both from the Arab region and from the rest of the world and provide recommendations for public officials, policymakers, cities, and others on how to adopt people-centered smart city approaches.
