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Smart Madinah Forum to promote Technology & Sustainable Development | |
| Sumita Pawar |
Habitat and the Madinah Region Development Authority are co-organizing the Smart Madinah Forum, or SMF2023, which will take place in the city of Madinah from February 19 to 21.
According to the report, the forum will bring together experts from all over the world to talk about how innovation and technology can help promote sustainable development and improve the quality of life for people living in cities.
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The forum runs under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Salman Al-Saud, governor of the Madinah region, and builds on Madinah’s commitment to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants worldwide are welcome to join the discussions in Madinah.
The event is aligned with two of UN-Habitat’s flagship programs, 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 centre 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," said Pontus Westerberg, programme management officer, Lead People-Centered Smart Cities Flagship Program, UN-Habitat.
As further mentioned in the report, SMF2023 will host panels within two main thematic tracks: sustainable development goals and smart city platforms.
The keynote speakers will be Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and Christy Mitchell, Lead for the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance at the World Economic Forum.
"Smart Madinah Forum 2023" 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.
According to the report, the forum is expected to spark debates, highlight best practises from the Arab region and around the world, and provide recommendations for public officials, policymakers, cities, and others on how to implement people-centered smart city approaches.