On the waves of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), technological innovation is redefining human society. How cities harness technologies to achieve sustainability becomes a focus. In this issue, we will see how cities integrate technologies into urban governance to build a city for all.

From Guangzhou Award

Goal 9 + Goal 11   Smarter than a smart city

The responsive city evolves from the smart city, with a fundamental difference: citizens move from being in the centre of observation to becoming the centre of action.

---Gerhard Schmitt, A city as smart as its citizens

A City For All
Repentigny, Canada

A city for all requires municipal services that meet the needs of every inhabitant. Through Crealab, interactive mapping app and service hotline, Repentigny municipality builds an inclusive community for youth, the marginalised and all other residents. (Read more)

Guangzhou 12345 Government Service Hotline
Guangzhou, China

To provide convenient, intelligent and efficient services, the 12345 Government Service Hotline offers a 24/7 one-stop shop service with one easily-memorized phone number. It helps authorities to solicit people’s suggestions, respond to demands and channel their discontent to the appropriate professionals for on-the-spot resolution. (Read more)

From the Web

I don’t necessarily think ‘smart’ is something to aim for in itself ... The technology should be a tool to deliver a sustainable city.

---Léan Doody, Interview in 'So what does a smart city really look like?'

Hangzhou Internet court adopts blockchain to protect copyright of online literature

Goal 9 + Goal 16 | Blockchain + Judicial Process

Writers publishing their work online can easily be hurt by piracy and it is hard to safeguard their legal rights due to difficulties collecting evidence. But an Internet court in east China's Hangzhou now has a solution.

Thanks to blockchain technology, the integration process of work circulating in cyberspace can be extracted for writers to use as evidence in court. (Read more) 

Alibaba partners Chinese govt to trial blockchain in healthcare
Goal 9 + Goal 3 | Blockchain + Healthcare

A partnership between Alibaba and a Chinese city government to secure healthcare data over a blockchain is set to become the pioneering application of its kind in the country’s medical sector. 

Ali Health will collaborate with the government of the city of Changzhou toconnect the city’s existing infrastructure of medical treatment systems. (Read more)

Perfecting food safety: How China does it with IoT and blockchain
Goal 9 + Goal 2 | Blockchain + Food Safety

China’s size, population, and lack of regulations have made fake food an even more pervasive problem than in any other country.  The advent of IoT and Blockchain is set to empower the Chinese consumer with the ability to track and understand the provenance of their food. (Read more)

Don't miss it

The Milan Pact Awards 2019 calls for submissions

The Award promotes innovation in urban food systems and stimulates exchanges among MUFPP Signatory Cities:

6 Special Mentions

2 Monetary Prizes of EUR 15.000

Deadline: Sunday 26 May 2019 (Read more)