It is estimated that the world’s population will reach 9.7 billion by the year 2050, with 68% living in urban regions. In order to ensure the future coexistence of those living in such densely populated areas, there are numerous challenges that those who bear responsibility for modern cities need to address. With more and more people living in increasingly crowded spaces, how can we make sure that we have clean air and reduce waste? How can we facilitate mobility for millions of people? And how can we ensure that administrative structures are in place and there is universal healthcare?
One solution is to apply modern technologies to achieve a comprehensive “renewal” of today’s cities. It is the rare urban planner who does not dream of the advantages of smart cities. For experts, a smart city represents the integration of information technologies and data into both existing and new infrastructure systems with the goal of enabling those in urban areas to live together sustainably, efficiently, and in social harmony, despite growing population density. But what exactly will the city of the future look like? What technologies are already making urban life smarter? And how will people adapt to these technologically modified cities?
To answer these questions the project called “How to assure citizen participation in the implementation of the “smart city” and “smart village” projects and organizing awareness-raising activities” has been implemented. It aimed to contribute to the return process to the liberated Shusha city (Azerbaijan) by investigating the best international expertise in building an inclusive, people-centered smart city and/or village infrastructure.
The project had four phases:
– researching the best practices,
– holding meetings with the relevant institutions, as well as conducting surveys among the citizens of Shusha,
– presenting the results of the research to the relevant institutions and citizens,
– organizing training and workshops among schoolchildren.
The catalog called “Smart city for all” has been published as the result of the project. This catalog was prepared to study the best practices used in international practice regarding the methods and ways of ensuring public participation in the application of the “smart city”/”smart village” concept and to determine the necessary steps for its application in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, especially in the city of Shusha. In addition to international best practices, the catalog includes the results of a survey conducted among the residents of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan that has just been liberated from occupation, as well as the results of a workshop conducted among schoolchildren from Shusha.
During the preparation of the catalog, meetings were held with both local and foreign state bodies, municipalities, and private companies responsible for the implementation of the relevant concept. The Hammarby Sjöstad district, which was rebuilt based on the most modern standards, the Brunnshög district – the new smart city which is under construction, and the cities of Stockholm, Malmö, Helsingborg, and Lund in Sweden, where the most modern solutions are applied, Lund university, “Ericsson” company and UNEP Copenhagen Climate Center were visited and the best practices related with the topic were learned.
It has been determined that only building a residential area that meets the most modern standards with the help of the latest technology and offering digital solutions is not enough for the implementation of the “Smart City”/”Smart Village” model effectively. Increasing the digital knowledge and skills of city/village residents, who will be users of modern technologies, and at the same time encouraging their active participation in city/village construction are the most important factors for the successful implementation of the relevant concept.
