The WeGO Champions Program 2026 Kicks Off with Online Lectures on Shaping the Future of Housing
Seoul, April 30, 2026 – The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) is proud to announce the launch of the fourth cycle of online lectures for the WeGO Sustainable Smart City Champions Program, focusing on “Shaping the Future of Housing”.
This flagship initiative embodies WeGO’s core mission to promote sustainable and human-centric smart city development. This program was designed with the belief that today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow, with the goal of equipping them with the expertise and skills to drive the future of sustainability and innovation. By providing these emerging leaders with practical tools and global perspectives, the program reflects WeGO’s continued commitment not only to preparing the next generation for the challenges ahead but also to empowering them to lead the transformation of their cities.
Building on the success of previous editions, this fourth part will offer a unique hybrid learning experience mixing online courses with dynamic in-person workshops in key cities around the world.
The 2026 edition will focus on the topic of Housing, a pressing issue in the rapidly evolving field of urban development, where challenges like affordability, sustainability, and resilience demand innovative solutions to shape inclusive, future-ready cities. This theme was chosen to reflect its critical role in urban governance, as housing solutions are essential to achieving the UN SDGs. This focus is especially urgent as urban populations grow and the global housing gap continues to widen.
The online component of the program will now feature four parts:
- Part 1: Accelerating, Benchmarking, and Communicating Smart and Sustainable Cities’ Transitions
- Part 2: Frameworks, Technologies, and Solutions for Urban Sustainable Infrastructures
- Part 3: AI for Smart and Sustainable Cities
- Part 4: Shaping the Future of Housing (New in 2026)
Students completing the program will receive a certificate co-signed by the WeGO Secretary General and its President City, the Mayor of Seoul.
Online Lectures Meet Global Workshops to Explore Real-World Impacts
To complement the online learning experience, the program will host eight in-person workshops in leading global cities for smart and sustainable development. These workshops will take place in the following cities, each focusing on key themes:
- Athens, Greece – Tourism, Cultural Heritage, Housing Sustainability, and Participatory Governance
- Baku, Azerbaijan – World Urban Forum “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”
- Brescia, Italy – Data Transparency and AI Governance for Inclusive Housing Systems in mid-level cities
- Cairo, Egypt – Housing Innovation and Affordability in Rapidly Urbanizing Contexts
- Geneva, Switzerland – International Frameworks for Housing Rights, Sustainability, and Smart Governance
- Milan, Italy – Data Transparency and AI Governance for Inclusive Housing Systems in large cities.
- New York, USA – Housing Affordability, Density, and Equity in Global Cities
- Seoul, South Korea – Seoul Smart Life Week WeGO Champions & Global Youth Award Ceremony
These events will provide participants with direct access to global experts to explore housing innovation, sustainability, and governance. These gatherings also aim at providing the chance to network with smart city experts and fellow young professionals, fostering a collaborative approach to solving the world’s urban challenges.
Following this hybrid format, the WeGO Champions Program has gathered over 500 participants in 2025 alone. In 2026, the program will continue expanding and provide young professionals under 35 the chance to build expertise in urban innovation, sustainability, and governance.
The WeGO Global Youth Award Returns for a Second Edition in 2026
This year, the WeGO Champions Program will welcome the second edition of the Global Youth Award, building on the success of the inaugural edition. This year again, the program will welcome partners in recognizing outstanding young leaders committed to advancing the areas of smart cities, culture, net-zero initiatives, advanced technologies, youth entrepreneurship, leadership, AI and SDGs. Awardees will be honored through a ceremony hosted on October 7th, during the Seoul Smart Life Week 2026, spotlighting their achievements and contributions to urban development.
A Call to Action for Future Leaders
The WeGO Sustainable Smart City Champions Program invites students, young professionals, and passionate individuals from around the world to register for the online course and express interest in the in-person workshops. Participants will gain invaluable knowledge and experience, earn a prestigious certificate, and have the opportunity to become part of a global network of change-makers.
To access the online lectures, kindly visit www.cityresiliencetraining.com to sign up for the free online course and contact the WeGO Secretariat (secretariat@we-gov.org) to learn more about the upcoming workshops.
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 4th 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), 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: Natália Penhalves
E-mail: natalia@we-gov.org
Phone: +82-70-4202-9169