While the narrative of digital technologies to enable smart cities has initially be a positive one, in recent years concerns have been voiced : With everything and everyone being connected for the sake of efficiency, where does this leave the citizens? How can cities make sure that more ethics is embedded in the digital value chain of smart cities ? What is their role on the creation of smart cities & communities? Will digital apps save democracy or kill it? Four cities and the European Commission will share their views for a better and more ethical living experience for their citizens.

While the narrative of digital technologies to enable smart cities and communities has initially be a positive one, in recent years concerns have been voiced : With everything and everyone being connected for the sake of efficiency, where does this leave the citizens, what about their digital footprint and the big data to which they contribute in their every day life? and what is their role on the creation of smart cities & communities? How can cities reassure citizens? How can cities make sure that more ethics is embedded in the digital value chain of smart cities , from digital equipment production to day-to-day digital services consumption? Will digital apps save democracy or kill it? …

Four European cities, Tallinn, Lille Metropole, Espoo and Brussels Capital Region, will share their experiences in digitalizing their public services for a better living experience for their citizens.

Lille Metropole, world design capital 2020, will present the connected social centres it supported through a large programme aiming at developing third places and giving an easier access to digital services for all.

• Tallinn, European capital of e-administration will demonstrate how open cooperation can help the cities to innovate.
• Espoo will showcase how its citizens are involved in designing the most sustainable city in Europe
• Brussels Capital Region will present some of its smart cities and digital inclusion projects.

The European Commission, DG Connect, will give its vision of a smarter living regarding these societal challenges.

Moderated by the Chair of Open and Agile Smart cities, a 124 European cities network dedicated to creating and shaping the nascent global smart city data and services market, the debate will focus on how, through their experiences, cities are giving a better, fairer and more ethical place to citizens in their smart city strategies.

• smart cities projects and digital inclusion. The case of the Brussels Capital Region.

Code: 10WS460
Speakers: Eddy HARTOG, Krista KAMPUS, Markku MARKKULA, Akim OURAL, Bart ROSSEAU, Céline VANDERBORGHT
Theme: A Europe Closer to Citizen
Partner/s: Brussels Capital Region, City of Tallinn, Espoo, European Commission – DG CNECT, Lille Metropole, Open and Agile Smart Cities
Venue: Building CoR – JDE building, Room JDE 51.
Address: Rue Belliard 101, 1040 Brussels