Humanizing Smart Cities

Cities worldwide are exploring new ways to improve the lives of their citizens while balancing the demands of rapid technological and urban development. This has led to smart cities leveraging technology to create more efficient and sustainable urban environments. Investing in smart city initiatives has the potential to not only improve the quality of life for millions of people but also drive economic growth and create new opportunities for innovation. As smart cities evolve into smartness, they need to pay more attention to the humanization aspects of many challenges. In pursuing this, the event seeks to approach networking among city planners, academics, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss strategies for smart cities and propose innovative solutions to address the related challenges and issues. Presenters will show the outcome of a manifesto project built upon an online platform in the 'Humanizing Smart Cities' scope, addressing the people-centered approach. The online platform facilitates the exchange of insights among practitioners and decision-makers to validate smart solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective and optimize the efficiency of smart cities while addressing people's needs and quality of life. Presenters and panelists with diverse backgrounds will be engaged in the WUF event, Dialogue 5, from multiple global regions (NUCA, NU, UN-Habitat, and NTNU). The event will host several presentations and a short networking session seeking interdisciplinary exposure and reaching findings that can help explore and initiate other opportunities for future collaboration between the parties involved.