Reimagining smart cities: The value of smart technologies in a pandemic and post-pandemic city

Are smart cities safer and more resilient in dealing with the pandemic? How has this crisis impacted the global debate on big data collection and use vs. privacy protection? This conference will delve into the concrete impact of digital technologies in COVID-19 mitigation and explore their potential to boost ambitious urban recovery strategies.

Chaired by : Professor Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi

Speakers:

• Ms. Simina Lazar, Network Coordinator, ASToN
• Ms. Nejia Lanouar, Chief Information Officer, City of Paris
• Mr. Michael Donaldson, Commissioner of Technological Innovation, Electronic Administration and Good Governance, Barcelona City Council

Q&A session facilitated by: Aliénor de Thoisy, Sciences Po graduate student

This discussion is part of the Reimagining Cities series, co-organized by Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs, Columbia Undergraduate Programs in Paris, and Columbia Global Centers | Paris. Co-sponsored by the Alliance Program and Urban Flag.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Reimagining cities. Exploring global trends towards a new (urban) normal.

Hit hard by what was revealed to be primarily an urban pandemic, cities across the world have been harnessing the potential of their proximity with residents, the private sector, and civil society to deploy rapid, innovative, and cost-effective solutions. Most of this innovation is likely to continue as part of a broader movement led by numerous mayors committed to boldly re-direct urban development towards environmental sustainability, social equality, and resilience.

Designed by Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, instructor of City Diplomacy at Sciences Po – PSIA, the École Polytechnique, and Columbia in Paris, this conference series aims at engaging distinguished mayors, scholars, practitioners, and students in a global discussion on the future of urban life in a post-pandemic world.