Today the Third Smart Cities Congress of the Spanish Network of Smart Cities began in Las Rozas de Madrid. A great meeting that in this edition has acquired an international scope thanks to the presence of speakers from Brazil, Finland, Korea, London and the USA and with the presence of more than 50 Spanish cities.

The Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Carmen Artigas, has been in charge of giving the starting signal to the Congress, which she described as “an opportunity to continue advancing under a shared innovative vision towards the intelligent and sustainable development of our cities focused on the well-being of citizens.” Artigas thanked the assistance and participation of all the RECI cities, which he pointed out, have the common objective of being “more efficient, more inclusive and therefore more livable cities. Cities that are committed to a more cohesive society and urban development that is truly respectful of the environment.”

The congress was also attended by the new general secretary of the Madrid Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, FEMP, Luis Martínez-Sicluna; the vice president of the RECI and Mayor of Santander, Gema Igual; the vice president of the FEMP and mayor of A Coruña, Ines Rey, and José de la Uz, mayor of Las Rozas, host city of the third edition of this forum that has become a national and international reference in the application of the most advanced technologies in the improvement of cities to be more sustainable and efficient. “For Las Rozas it is an honor to host this great meeting forum of cities that work as a network to debate and share experiences in the use and application of technology and innovation in our services to make our cities more sustainable, efficient and liveable, and, In short, to improve the quality of life of citizens”, stated José de la Uz. The opening ceremony was also attended by Íñigo de la Serna, former president of the RECI who complained to the Central Government “more support for cities that are committed to a sustainable and innovative future for all Spaniards”.  

The congress will be held for two days, October 19 and 20, in Las Rozas, in the Joaquín Rodrigo Auditorium. It is a key meeting forum for leaders of local entities, representatives of public administrations and experts in smart solutions, to explore innovative solutions as fundamental tools in the transformation of Spanish cities and municipalities.

The journalist and presenter of Informativos TVE, Marta Jaumandreu, is in charge of conducting the event that has 5 blocks of content. Today the presentations will focus on the Enabling technologies, Data spaces and Social innovation and accessibility. Tomorrow, on the second day of the III RECI Congress on Smart Cities, equally interesting discussion tables are expected, focused on the last three thematic blocks, Artificial intelligence and Cybersecurity, Sustainability and Mobility. Here you can consult the program.

In addition, a session will be held especially focused on the Madrid's community, as the host community of the meeting, in which technicians from different local and regional public organizations will participate.

With an approach centered on people and their needs, it is expected that the RECI Smart City Congress be an inspiring and educational event; catalyst of ideas and solutions for building smarter and more sustainable cities in the future. A meeting point to share knowledge, experiences and solutions that will drive the development of our urban communities towards a smarter and more sustainable future. More information about the Congress here.