Ruha Benjamin, Majora Carter and Stephanie Hare to headline speakers
Smart City Expo 2024 keynotes will delve into the ethical development of cities
Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the premier global event on urban innovation and smart solutions organized by Fira de Barcelona, announced the first keynote speakers for its 2024 edition. This year’s event features a lineup of over 600 speakers and experts who are shaping the future of urban living including Ruha Benjamin, Majora Carter, and Stephanie Hare who aim to set a horizon where ethical development becomes of paramount importance in the next urban era.
SCEWC 2024 will take place from November 5-7 at the Gran Via venue under the theme “Live Better” and will focus on how cities can transform themselves to become more livable places that are prepared to make their citizens prosper.
Technology-based inequity is one of the growing concerns in a more urban and technological future. This is the field of expertise of Ruha Benjamin, a prominent scholar and professor 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 for her contributions to urban development including those from the National Geographic Society and the Environmental Protection Agency
How technology impacts public policy, human rights, and social justice is the domain of Stephanie Hare. 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 and protect individual rights and ensuring technology serves the public good and addresses social inequalities.
These keynotes are part of the SCEWC conference program that will be structured around eight main tracks: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance, Living & Inclusion, Economy, Infrastructure & Buildings, and Safety & Security.
In addition, the exhibition area will host over 1.100 exhibitors among which companies, cities, and institutions from around the world to showcase their projects and solutions.
Global Hub of Innovation
Fira de Barcelona will strengthen its role a global hub for urban innovation by holding SCEWC 2024 together with Tomorrow.Mobility, an event jointly organized by Fira de Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility aimed at developing a new and sustainable urban mobility paradigm; and the second editions of Tomorrow Building, focused on innovative construction, and Tomorrow.Blue Economy, aimed at using the full potential of ocean resources for a sustainable economic growth.
Moreover, in 2024 SCEWC will delve deeper into the role that start-ups have in their developing process of new technologies. To do so, the event will debut the Innovation Playground, a space to connect the main players of the global innovation ecosystem including startups, investors, governments, corporations, and research centers. In addition, SCEWC will also hold the third edition of the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, an event by Barcelona Activa focused on scientific tech entrepreneurship and university spin-offs.