Tehran has been shortlisted for the World Smart City Award 2021 for the Neighborhoods Development and Citizen Engagement project (also referred to by the Persian acronym Baham, meaning Together), which is developed by Tehran Municipality's Information and Communications Technologies Organization.
The event will be held along with an adjunct conference in Barcelona, Spain, on Nov. 17.
According to Mohammad Farjoud, the head of TM’s ICT Organization, Baham intends to engage citizens in governing the city, Mehr News Agency reported.
“It uses a combination of conventional and modern tools to gather the views of locals for implementing urban projects and improving the citizens’ quality of life,” the official explained.
The project is classed in the Governance and Economy Award category, to the most innovative and successful projects being implemented and developed in the fields of governance and finance.
The Baham project is shortlisted along with the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance and Scottish Cities alliance (for Scotland’s 8th City – the Smart City project) in the Governance and Economy category.
The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance unites governments, private-sector partners and citizens around principles for promoting the responsible use of smart city technologies. The alliance establishes global policy norms to accelerate best practices, mitigate risks and foster openness and public trust, according to the event's website Smartcityexpo.com.
“Scotland’s 8th City – the Smart City” is an ambitious program by European Regional Development Fund involving Scotland’s cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling. Working together, partners aim to make those cities more attractive, livable and resilient through data and digital technology.
Entries for this year's edition of the award ceremony came from 46 countries and are of an exceptionally high standard. The shortlist has 34 finalists in nine categories, namely City Award, Leadership Award, Enabling Technologies Award, Energy & Environment Award, Mobility Award, Governance & Economy Award, Living & Inclusion Award and Safety & Security Award.
This year's edition will be attended by over 10,000 visitors, 374 exhibitors from over 700 cities and more than 350 expert speakers.
According to the event organizers, WSCA invites both public and private companies, cities, entrepreneurs, digital innovators, developers, research centers, universities, civil society representatives, NGOs, cooperatives, consortiums and social activists to participate in the competition.
The event aims to recognize and support innovative city strategies, projects and ideas that can potentially make an impact on citizens’ lives and turn our cities into more sustainable and inclusive places to live in.
Last year, the Call for Awards received top-level proposals from 46 countries and rewarded game-changing projects from China, the US, Germany, Canada, Israel and Brazil.
Tehran’s Participation in WSCA
During the 2019 edition of the World Smart City Award, Tehran was commended for Smart Tehran Program, developed by TM’s ICT Organization.
The STP was categorized in the event’s City Award class that aims to transform the megacity of Tehran into a more sustainable and livable city with the vision of "A City for All" by focusing on urban innovation, transparency and citizens' engagement.
Farjoud represented Tehran at the ceremony and received the honorary WSCA award.
In WSCA 2019, innovative schemes from Stockholm (Sweden), Bristol (the UK), Curitiba (Brazil), Montevideo (Uruguay) and Seoul (South Korea) were also announced winners in the City Award category.
According to the official, developing special sensors to harvest urban data, expanding the electronic micropayment systems, strengthening communication infrastructures in the metropolis, expanding smart transportation networks, developing urban safety and finding environmental protection solutions, along with location-based services are high on TM's agenda.
Farjoud noted that extensive work is underway to put innovative plans into practice and accelerate the implementation of smart projects in Tehran.
Smart Tehran Congress
In an effort to identify and implement innovative ideas and projects related to the smart city concept, Iranian tech authorities held the Smart City Congress in March 2018, gathering homegrown tech teams, startups and knowledge-based companies to present their achievements and ideas in the field.
Every year, applicants are invited to visit the event's website, Smart.tehran.ir, and submit their innovative ideas and products in the field of smart technologies in urban management.
The event, which is organized by TM's ICT Organization and Amirkabir University of Technology, intends to bring together academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs and representatives of knowledge-based firms to help bring the capital city closer to becoming a smart city.
Special panels address the need for modern management of urban affairs via location-based approaches, smart transportation, environment protection, offering urban services via artificial intelligence and promoting the quality of life by tapping into modern technologies.
The event explores open data, big data, ways to raise public awareness regarding the latest technological developments in urban services and productivity of urban management and data-based sustainable economy, while supporting tech teams and startups operating in the field of urban management.
Numerous programs are usually held on the sidelines of the event, including innovation contests, training workshops, technology-oriented meetings, public speeches and a small-scale exhibition of smart products developed by startups and knowledge-based companies.
Municipalities believe harnessing smart solutions and internet of things technology can help resolve chronic problems facing metropolises for decades, particularly air pollution and traffic congestion, plus making life easier for the people.
