WeGO Champions Program November 2024 Workshop Wrap-Up: Shaping Smart and Sustainable Cities for the Future in Athens, Baku, Brescia, and Milan
November 2024 marked a dynamic month for the WeGO Sustainable Smart City Champions program, as it hosted a series of impactful workshops across Europe and Central Asia. These sessions brought together over 180 students, young professionals, and urban experts to engage in pressing discussions around climate action, digital innovation, and sustainable urban development. With an emphasis on smart cities and youth-driven solutions, the workshops explored how digital tools, governance, and green infrastructure can transform urban spaces.
Athens: Youth-Led Sustainability and Urban Innovation
The month began in Athens, Greece, with the workshop “Young Urban Leadership: Perspectives in Dialogue” on November 1, 2024. Hosted by the University of Geneva and the University of Patras, and attended by 20 students, this session focused on the challenges and opportunities in urban infrastructure, drawing on Athens’ rich architectural heritage and modern sustainability issues. Key discussions centered on the concepts of “Re-Use, Re-Purpose, and Retrofitting,” exploring how vacant buildings can be repurposed to create resilient, sustainable urban environments. Students and experts discussed how smart, green urbanism could address social inequalities, economic challenges, and environmental concerns. A highlight was the University of Patras’ course on rethinking urban infrastructure in Athens, which provided innovative solutions to revitalize city blocks.
Baku: Climate Action and Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Futures
On November 14, 2024, the WeGO Champions workshop in Baku, Azerbaijan, took place at ADA University on the sidelines of COP29. This workshop, involving 50 young leaders based in Baku, focused on youth engagement in climate action and sustainable urban development. Dr. Alexandre Hedjazi led discussions on the pivotal role of infrastructures in supporting urban sustainability and climate resilience. Prof. Anar Valiyev from ADA University emphasized Baku’s challenges with rapid urbanization and the necessity for climate-sensitive planning. Experts from Swiss institutions, including Eawag, Empa, and ETH Zurich, shared their insights on blue and green infrastructure, energy innovations, and participatory urban governance. The workshop demonstrated the growing importance of youth involvement in shaping the future of urban environments, underscoring the power of digital tools in creating resilient cities.
Brescia: Smart Cities and Environmental Transitions
A week later, on November 18, 2024, the WeGO Champions session in Brescia, Italy, explored the intersection of smart cities and environmental transitions. Held at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart with around 30 attendees, this event centered on how digital tools can drive the sustainable transformation of post-industrial cities like Brescia. Participants learned how digital infrastructure could improve governance, enhance transparency, and foster collaboration between local authorities and citizens. Camilla Bianchi, the Councilor for the Environment, discussed Brescia’s environmental transition, highlighting the role of digital communication in promoting sustainability. Lavinia Colantoni presented a research-based perspective on the application of digital tools in urban governance, using Brescia as a case study to showcase how technology could accelerate environmental and urban transformations.
Milan: Social Media’s Role in Smart Cities
On November 19, 2024, the final workshop of the month took place in Milan, focusing on the role of social media in smart and sustainable cities. With around 80 master’s students in attendance, this session explored both the promises and challenges of using social media as a tool for urban governance. Scott Rodgers from Birkbeck, University of London, discussed how social media serves as a platform for urban governance and environmental awareness, but also pointed out the risks of misinformation. Lavinia Colantoni expanded on how digital tools are revolutionizing institutional communication, particularly in cities like Brescia, where digital platforms are reshaping citizen engagement and governance.
The WeGO Champions workshops of November 2024 exemplified the growing role of digital tools, innovative governance, and youth-led initiatives in creating sustainable and resilient urban environments. Across Athens, Baku, Brescia, and Milan, the discussions emphasized the importance of integrating smart solutions into urban planning, using technology to foster greater community participation, and ensuring climate resilience in the face of rapid urbanization. These workshops not only provided valuable insights but also empowered the next generation of urban leaders to actively engage in shaping the future of smart and sustainable cities.
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