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Parts of our team took part in this year’s Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona, supporting the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Programs Latin America and Australasia during their largest in-person gathering to date. Held under the theme “The Time for Cities,” this record-setting edition of the world’s most influential event on urban innovation welcomed over 27,000 participants from 143 countries. Since 2011, SCEWC has become the leading global platform connecting cities, innovators, institutions, and businesses to accelerate urban transformation.
EU Cities Gateway representatives were present at the European Commission / IURC booth, distributing promotional material our program’s approach to peer learning, innovation, and transatlantic cooperation.
A Global Gathering of Urban Innovation
The IURC Global Thematic Networking Event convened 240+ city and regional leaders from 132 cities worldwide, offering an opportunity to deepen partnerships across climate action, mobility, urban regeneration, circular economy, and more. Through 14 thematic sessions, expo tours, and bilateral meetings, the event provided fertile ground for new ideas and joint planning for 2026 cooperation initiatives. The EU Cities Gateway team contributed by engaging with stakeholders across sectors and geographies, in line with the program’s core mission to connect cities and regions in the EU, U.S., and Canada through thematic collaboration in areas such as circular economy, digitalization, housing, and nature-based solutions.