Fira de Barcelona's event on urban future arrives in Cartagena de Indias
Smart City Expo returns to Colombia to design more modern and humane cities
On October 29 and 30, the Hotel las Américas Convention Center will host the Smart City Expo Cartagena de Indias. After two editions in Bogotá, the congress arrives in one of Colombia’s most important cities to strengthen its role as a benchmark in the Latin American urban transformation market. To this end, the event will bring together leading companies and institutions in the sector, alongside a conference program featuring around 80 top-level speakers.
Smart City Expo Cartagena de Índias is organized by Fira de Barcelona with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena and Corferias (International Business and Exhibition Center of Bogotá). Under the slogan “Cities that transform for a better life”, the event will bring together national and international experts, researchers, government representatives, business leaders and entrepreneurs to share perspectives and experiences on the different ways to approach the integration of digital transformation and sustainable development in the future of cities.
Specifically, Smart City Expo Cartagena will be structured around five thematic axes: digital economy, blue economy, sustainable present, governance and quality of life, and prosperous and safe cities. To reflect on these major issues, the informative part of the show will feature nearly 80 figures of international relevance in matters such as urban planning, sustainability or technology.
Among the speakers already confirmed are: Dilian Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca; Karem Labrador, president of Colombia Líder; Paula Andrea Palacio, director of the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley (AMVA); Bernardo Baranda, director for Latin America of the ITDP (Institute for Transport and Development Policy); and Fernando de Pablo, general director of the Digital Office of the Madrid City Council. Each will provide key perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that cities face in their transformation process.
A place to build relationships
Smart City Expo Cartagena will also have spaces for the exchange of knowledge and the discovery of the latest solutions in the field of city transformation. To begin with, it will include a large exhibition area made up of a large representation of companies linked to urban development, such as NEC, ABIT, Movistar, Inteia or Hikvision, among others.
As for the institutions that will also have a presence in this room, the following stand out: the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations Development and Environment Programs, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Government of Bolívar, the Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena, or the Avina Foundation, a Latin American organization that promotes sustainable development through alliances between civil society, private sector and governments.
In addition to bringing together these companies and entities linked to urban development, the event will once again have an area called agora, whose objective is to host the presentation of innovative and high-impact projects. Attendees will also be able to interact in a networking space designed to promote business relationships.
Fira, global brand
Smart City Expo Cartagena de Índias is part of the programme of events that Fira de Barcelona International is organising outside Spain in 2025. With a dozen confirmed events, the trade fair institution is reinforcing its expansion strategy abroad. Among the scheduled events are other editions of Smart City Expo in different cities around the globe such as New York (USA), Curitiba (Brazil), Puebla (Mexico), Santiago del Estero (Argentina), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Doha (Qatar), and Tomorrow.City Shanghai (China).
In addition to these, there are also IOT Solutions Congress Brazil, Mexico Hospitality Expo in Guadalajara (Mexico), Alimentaria Chengdu in China and Tomorrow Blue Economy, also in Brazil (specifically in Niteroi).
Barcelona, 27 October 2025
Josep Lluís Mérida
932 332 114
jmerida@firabarcelona.com