Notable for the participation of more than 1,000 delegates and 70 islands worldwide
The first edition of the Smart Island World Congress closes with high levels of attendance
The congress that took place on Thursday and Friday in Calvià (Mallorca) welcomed over 1,000 visitors, 95 speakers and national and international experts, along with 70 representatives from islands all over the world such as Antigua and Barbuda, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Corsica and the Azores, which have presented their projects around 4 thematic axes: New Connectivities, Talent and Economic Growth, Urban and Social Development and Islands of the Future.
The first edition of the Smart Island World Congress (SIWC) closed today with a highly successful attendance level that puts Calvià firmly on the Smart world map. The event was organised by Fira de Barcelona, Calvià Town Council and the Consejo de Mallorca (the island’s governing body), with support from the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands and UN-Habitat. Of the more than 1,000 participants, over half were delegates from outside the Balearic Islands. Some of the high profile participants included Microsoft, Fiware, Orange, Grupo Etra and Meliá Hotels and Resorts.
Especially well received were the presentations of the three main speakers: Spain’s former president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero; the former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong; and the geostrategist of emerging economies, Parag Khanna. The audiences for all three filled the 700-plus seats of the main SIWC auditorium.
Over the two days of the congress, participants discussed the everyday challenges faced by islands across the world, such as floating populations, connectivity, supplies and sustainability.
La Palma, winner of the Smart Island 2017 award
The SIWC culminated last night with the presentation of the Smart Island Awards, which distinguish the leading initiatives and projects in the field of smart initiatives for island regions. The La Palma Smart Island project promoted by the Island Council of La Palma was the worthy winner of the Smart Island 2017 award.
The islands of Mauritius, Bora Bora, Malta, Cape Verde and the Dominican Republic have received the Urban Development, Smart Destination, Innovative Initiative, Sustainable Development and Cultural Innovation awards respectively.
The awards ceremony was attended by former Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero; the Balearic Island government’s minister for Labour, Trade and Tourism, Iago Negueruela; and the president of Fira de Barcelona’s Smart City Expo World Congress, Ramon Roca.
21 April 2017