WeGO and Denmark Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality Host Collaborative Discussion on Smart City Innovations   

 

Seoul, April 25, 2024 –  WeGO welcomed the delegates from Denmark today at its Secretariat in Seoul led by Marie Bjerre, the Danish Minister of Digital Government and Gender Equality. The new partnership was set to facilitate discussion about the significance of digitalization in human-centered smart city development with a focus on exploring areas for cooperation and joint initiatives.  

The meeting kicked off with warm welcomes and introductions, followed by Minister Marie Bjerre shedding light on Denmark’s digital journey since the formation of the Ministry in December 2022. Minister Bjerre emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to driving digitalization, bolstering cybersecurity measures, and promoting gender equality in the digital sphere. 

Odense (Denmark) won the Gold prize in the Human-CentriCity category last year for its Leadership, Empowerment, and Advocacy for the People (LEAP) digital platform project that created a new methodology for increasing welfare in the future via online questionnaires and public meetings. The connection with the prize depicts a potential collaborative route between WeGO and Denmark’s partnership. 

WeGO gave an overview of its mission and efforts to foster digital ethics in smart cities and presented initiatives such as the Seoul Smart City Prize, and capacity-building programs aimed at promoting human-centered digital ethics. The discussion included topics such as integration of AI in urban planning, cybersecurity measures, and strategies to bridge the digital divide. WeGO and the Danish Minister of Digital Government and Gender Equality acknowledged the growing reliance on digital technologies and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical infrastructure. 

WeGO Secretary-General Jung Sook Park expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a fruitful partnership between WeGO and the Denmark Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality. We look forward to leveraging digital innovations for sustainable and inclusive urban development.” 

Minister Marie Bjerre shared her enthusiasm for the collaboration, adding, “Collaborating with organizations like WeGO allows us to learn from global best practices and drive our digital journey forward.” As part of the meeting’s conclusion, gifts were exchanged between the two parties, and a photo session was held to commemorate the beginning of this promising partnership.

The meeting between WeGO and the Denmark Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality highlighted a promising start to a collaborative effort in developing collaborative digital innovations for sustainable and inclusive urban development. With shared goals and a commitment to driving digital transformation, WeGO and the Denmark Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality continue to explore areas of collaboration in the smart city areas.

About WeGO

The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), is a membership-based international association of local governments, smart tech solution providers, and institutions committed to the transformation of cities into smart sustainable cities through facilitating public-private partnerships (PPP). WeGO was founded by 50 member cities in 2010 as the World e-Governments Organization, hence our acronym. In response to the evolving concept of smart cities, WeGO expanded its vision and mandate at the 7th General Assembly (2017) and its name to the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization. WeGO’s Secretariat is based in Seoul, Korea, and has regional offices in East Asia (Chengdu, China), the Mediterranean (Beyoglu, Turkey), Africa (Abuja, Nigeria), Middle East & North Africa (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), Latin America (Cuenca, Ecuador), and Central Asia (Almaty, Kazakhstan). As the leading platform on smart city development, WeGO’s mission is to share knowledge and good practices in e-Governance; strengthen administrative efficiency and transparency; advance digital capacity; facilitate civic involvement; bridge the digital divide and inequality; and promote cooperation solidarity among cities and local governments around the world.

WeGO serves for its members as their international platform to improve the quality of life, innovate in the delivery of public services, and strengthen regional competitiveness.

Press Contact:
Name:  Kakim Danabayev
E-mail: kakim@we-gov.org
Phone: +82-70-4202-9169