Webinar: Public values in smart cities

Start date
End date
Location
Online, via Green European Foundation

Webinar: Public Values in Smart Cities

How do we ensure that technological innovations in cities serve public values such as democracy, human dignity, privacy, equality, and sustainability?

All over Europe, municipalities want to become ‘smart cities’, front-runners in the use of sensors, big data, algorithms, and apps. Smart technologies offer opportunities for improving the quality of life in cities, for reducing their ecological footprint, and for creating new urban commons. But they may also present threats to civil liberties and to social justice. The smart city should not be an end in itself. A smart city is only really smart if data collection and artificial intelligence are steered by values. How do we ensure that public values such as democracy, human dignity, privacy, equality, and sustainability are put at the heart of smart cities?

This webinar will gather politicians, experts, practitioners, and activists from the Euregio, comprising cities such as Münster and Enschede. They will explain about specific technological innovations in their municipalities, discuss conflicting values, and identify best practices. The conclusions may feed into the online version of the Charter for the Smart City.

The event will be chaired by Judith Sargentini (former Dutch Member of the European Parliament). It will feature Christoph Almering (director Euroregio), June Nods (vice-mayor Enschede), Kirsten Fiedler (policy advisor to Alexandra Geese in the European Parliament, winner Felipe Rodriguez Award 2018), Richard Wouters (Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks), and other speakers.

The webinar is organised by the Green European Foundation and Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks

 

Date & time: Friday 5 June, 14:00 – 16:00 CEST

Timetable
14:00  Opening by Judith Sargentini|
14:10  Welcome by Christoph Almering
14:15  Introduction of the Charter for the Smart City by Richard Wouters
14:20  Presentation on the European Union and smart cities by Kirsten Fiedler
14:40  Q&A
14:50  Presentation on Enschede as a smart city by June Nods
15:00  Break
15:10  Presentation on Münster as a smart city
15:20  Q&A
15:30 Group discussion on (conflicting) public values in smart cities, on the basis of local examples introduced by participants
16:00 Closing words by Judith Sargentini

Registration
You can register by sending an e-mail to Richard Wouters at Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks.