– By 2050, as much as 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities, which poses great challenges for the people who lead these cities. The development of technology will significantly affect how cities function, and mayors are aware of this. Digital transformation is a necessity to respond to all challenges, so let us use today to discuss best practices, talk about problems, but also solutions for smart cities – said Bojana Božanić Ivanović, director of Lider media, at the very beginning of the tenth edition of Lider’s conference Smart Cities, which is currently taking place in the packed Crystal Hall of the Westin Hotel in Zagreb.
To present examples of good practice, numerous representatives from cities, the public sector, companies, and the academic community gathered at the conference today. Everyone wants the city they lead to be an ideal place to live, and the quality of life in cities today requires waste management, as well as smart mobility and digitalization.
– We are aware that times are intense and exciting. Thank you all for finding the time to come to the conference and for recognizing this gathering as a place where the future of cities is discussed transparently – added Božanić Ivanović.
Long-term partners of the conference are Association of Cities, while this year the partner country is Italy. As highlighted in the introductory part of the conference by Paolo Trichilo, the newly appointed ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Croatia, Italy is Croatia’s largest trading partner, with a total amount of bilateral trade of 8.52 billion euros. Italy and Croatia have excellent relations, noted Trichilo, and mentioned some smart city projects in Italy.
