Smart City Expo 2024 keynotes will delve into the ethical development of cities

Smart City Expo World Congress 2024 Keynotes

Ruha Benjamin, Majora Carter and Stephanie Hare to headline Smart City Expo 2024 keynote speakers.

BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the leading global event on cities and smart urban solutions organized by Fira de Barcelona, has announced the first keynote speakers for its 2024 edition. The lineup of over 600 speakers and experts shaping the future of urban living includes Ruha Benjamin, Majora Carter, and Stephanie Hare, who aim to establish ethical development as the cornerstone of the next urban era.

SCEWC 2024 will take place from November 5-7 at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue under the theme “Live Better.” It will focus on how cities can transform to become more livable. The conference program will be structured around eight main tracks: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance, Living & Inclusion, Economy, Infrastructure & Buildings, and Safety & Security.

Technology-based inequity is a growing concern in an increasingly urban and technological future. This is Ruha Benjamin’s field of expertise. A prominent scholar known for her work at the intersection of race, technology, and society, Benjamin teaches African American Studies at Princeton University and has studied how emerging technologies and scientific advancements impact social justice and inequality.

Majora Carter is an urban revitalization strategist and environmental advocate, known for her efforts to transform the South Bronx, her hometown, by promoting green spaces, sustainable economic development, and equitable community engagement. She has received numerous awards, including those from the National Geographic Society and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Stephanie Hare focuses on how technology impacts public policy, human rights, and social justice. With a background in both academia and industry, Hare has worked on issues related to data privacy, surveillance, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. She studies the implications of emerging technologies on society, advocating for policies and practices that promote fairness, protect individual rights, and ensure technology serves the public good.

The exhibition area will host 1,100 exhibitors, including companies, cities, and institutions from around the world, to showcase their projects and solutions. Exhibitors include Saudi Aramco, Axis Communications, Dahua Technology, Dassault Systèmes, Dell/Nvidia, FCC Medio Ambiente, Hail City, KHNP, KPMG, Madinah City, MDEC, Microsoft, New Murabba, Nova Cidade, PNY, PWC, Roshn Group, Smart Ports – Piers of the Future, and Veolia.

Global Hub of Innovation
Fira de Barcelona will strengthen its role as a global hub for urban innovation by hosting SCEWC 2024 alongside Tomorrow.Mobility, an event jointly organized by Fira de Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility, aimed at developing a new and sustainable urban mobility paradigm. Additionally, the second editions of Tomorrow.Building, focused on innovative construction, and Tomorrow.Blue Economy, aimed at using the full potential of ocean resources for sustainable economic growth, will also take place.

SCEWC 2024 will further explore the role of start-ups developing new technologies. The event will debut the Innovation Playground, a space to connect the global innovation ecosystem, including startups, investors, governments, corporations, and research centers.

For media requests please contact:

Salvador Bilurbina
email: sbilurbina@firabarcelona.com
phone: +34628162674

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81808271-c738-49b8-a693-361288f24dee