Fira de Barcelona will organize 11 events abroad in 2024
Inclusive Urban Transformation, main focus of the biggest Smart City Expo Curitiba yet
Under the theme “Reinventing Cities for all”, Smart City Expo Curitiba (SCECWB) will hold its 5th edition from March 20-22 with the aim of promoting an inclusive urban transformation adapted to the needs of all citizens. The congress will bring together 180 speakers and 70 exhibitors at the Centro de Eventos Positivo in Parc Barigui, Curitiba (Brazil), in what will be the largest edition so far. This is the second of 11 events that Fira de Barcelona will organize abroad over the course of 2024 as part of its internationalization strategy.
The event, promoted by the prefecture of Curitiba led by Mayor Rafael Greca and organized by Fira de Barcelona, iCities and the prefectures of Val do Pinhao and Curitiba, features a conference program designed to address the main challenges faced by cities, with a special focus on the issues of Latin American cities. The conferences will be structured around seven themes: Sustainable Cities and Climate Change, Public Space and Urban Renewal, Governance and Digital Citizens, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Disruptive Technology and Business, and Tomorrow.Mobility.
Featured speakers include Brazilian urban artist Eduardo Kobra, known for works such as the 336 m2 mural at the United Nations headquarters in New York (USA), and who has displayed a great sensitivity to social issues; Mercedes de los Santos, project manager of the Open Data Charter; Jorge Daza, Deputy Minister of Transport and Telecommunications of Chile; and Livia Schaeffer Nonose, Technology and Innovation Specialist at UN Habitat.
In addition, SCECWB will also have an exhibition area where solutions and technologies capable of driving and contributing to sustainable urban transformation will be showcased. In its 2024 edition, the event has sold out the available space with more than 70 confirmed exhibitors including Arlequim, Intel, Intelbras, Ligga, Paraná Governo do Estat, Polkadot, Institut dones Cidades Intel-ligents and Sebrae.
First Brazilian Awards
The upcoming edition of SCECWB will host the first Brazilian Awards, aimed at recognizing initiatives and companies with outstanding projects in the field of urban innovation in Brazil. A total of five awards will be presented in the categories of Innovation and Digital Transformation, Sustainable City, Urban Mobility, Equitable Society, and Smart City of Brazil.
The city of Curitiba itself was awarded Smart City of 2023 in Barcelona during Smart City Expo World Congress, the leading international summit on smart cities and smart urban solutions organized every year by Fira de Barcelona at the Gran Via venue in the Catalan capital.
Preaching by example
In line with the theme “Reinventing Cities for All”, SCECWB will make a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability at the event itself. As a result, access to the venue will be adapted for people with motor, hearing and neurodivergent disabilities. In addition, the organization will offset the emissions generated, including the travel of attendees, with the aim of becoming a zero-emissions event and 90% of the materials used during the event will be recycled.
Fira de Barcelona, International platform
SCECWB is the second of the events that Fira de Barcelona is organizing outside Spain in 2024. In total there will be 11 events run by the trade fair institution in foreign countries as part of its strategy to organize international events abroad. Among these are eight different editions of the Smart City Expo World Congress to be held in Riyadh (Arab Emirates), Curitiba (Brazil), New York (USA), Santiago del Estero (Argentina), Merida (Mexico), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogota (Colombia) and Doha (Qatar).
Additionally, the fourth edition of Alimentos Cuba 2.0 will be held during 2024 (May 21-23) and two international events will be held for the first time: IOT Brazil (June 6-7) in São Paulo and Alimentaria Xina (September 19-21) in the city of Chengdu.
Barcelona, March 19th 2024