From electric buses to bee pollination highways and wifi-equipped rubbish bins, a flock of inventions has recently been making its mark on urban landscapes. Got an innovative idea for smart city planning? Apply to take part in the Players of Change conference.
October has been designated ‘Urban October‘ by UN Habitat in the lead up to the second annual World Cities Day, held on 31 October, officially putting sustainable urban development on the global agenda. With the global discussion about smart urban development snowballing, thanks, in part to intiatives such as World Cities Day and the Guardian’s Climate Hope City project, there is no time like the present to get started on innovative ideas that meet the challenges of developing our cities sustainably. Which is why a collection of organisations will host the ‘Players of Change‘ conference at Holzmarkt in Berlin, Germany on Saturday, 10 October, bringing together creators, changemakers, sustainability experts and more to nut out ideas for future-ready urban spaces.
Applications are being sought from anyone with an idea for smart urban development in Berlin that is ready to be taken to the next level. In order to apply for a spot, send in a one-page outline of your idea along with three questions you wish to put forward to the event’s jury (of which RESET Managing Director, Uta Mühleis is a part) and audience. The deadline to submit is Sunday, 20 September.
Why Smart Cities?
A growing urban population (the UN estimates that two thirds of the global population will live in cities by 2030) coupled with the need to help cities adapt to the effects of climate change is driving the smart city movement. Strategies, ideas and concepts that allow cities to develop and operate sustainably now and in the future are coming to the fore – think renewable energy, bike paths that double as a source of electricity, and innovative waste management systems. This conference provides people with a platform to connect with experts in the sustainability field, build networks and foster collaboration with like-minded people.
Hosted by Genossenschaft für urbane Kreativität (Cooperative for urban creativity), the Mörchenpark eV in cooperation with the Pakhuis de Zwijger (Amsterdam) and New Europe – Cities in Transition, this conference will be structured like a pitch camp, with participants presenting their project in three-minute sessions and addressing each other’s questions (from the application) in three 25-minute pitch camp stages. To apply or find out more, head to the Cooperative for urban creativity’s website.
