The second edition of Tech Bazaar: Modern Urban Technologies is currently underway in Tehran.
Scientific and research deputy of the Presidential Office, Mehdi Seyyedi, and head of Tehran City Council, Mehdi Chamran, are among several high-ranking officials that visited the bazaar that opened on Saturday, IRNA reported.
Babak Negahdar, the head of Tehran Urban Planning and Research Center, announced that municipalities from most major cities and 230 firms have taken part in this year's event, in addition to 12 science and technology parks.
According to the official, representatives from the Innovation and Prosperity Fund and many related organizations are providing legal and financial consultations at the event.
Negahdar added that five Iranian banks, namely Saderat, Tejarat, Melli, Shahr and Eqtesad Novin, are also attending and have shown interest in investing in technological advances and providing financial services in this field.
"The main goals of the event are to create an opportunity for the municipality and knowledge-based firms to cooperate while upholding the doctrines of Resistance Economy—a set of guidelines proposed by the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on oil revenues," he said.
"A municipality of Lebanon has also taken part in this year's event. We hope to see more foreign municipalities taking part in the next edition of the event."
Chamran stated that using traditional systems for managing a dysfunctional city is "ineffective and we must keep up with technological advances in this regard".
He noted that some of the technologies used are indigenous, but a large portion is imported.
"We must move toward self-sufficiency to avoid facing any problems in critical conditions. Self-sufficiency in this area will also produce many job opportunities and reduce prices," he said.
Chamran stressed that it is also essential to utilize the findings in these exhibitions.
"Events like these should help promote the application of findings and technologies," he said.
Urban Requisites
Modern urban planning techniques are needed for the Iranian capital, as more people move into the metropolis every year.
Greater Tehran now covers an area of over 40 km from its far eastern to western regions and also incorporates other smaller surrounding towns and provinces.
Urban planning took a step back during the years following the Iran-Iraq war when the city exploded in size with little suitable amenities.
In subsequent years, city mayors, including the incumbent Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, have all shown interest in employing modern technologies to help the city move. These technologies include metropolitan subway and pollution measuring equipment situated across the city.
The event closes today at Tehran's Goftegou Park located along Chamran Highway.
