A “smart city” often evokes images of a futuristic, high-tech metropolis. However, an analysis of projects recognized by leading international forums reveals that innovation isn’t always about cutting-edge technology.

This is how Curitiba has earned awards for initiatives such as a solar power plant built on a former landfill, a health appointment app, and community gardens on abandoned land. The term smart city generally applies to municipalities that address urban challenges in a sustainable, connected, and efficient manner.

In this episode of The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla speaks with Dario Paixao, City Secretary for Economic Development, Innovation and Artificial Intelligence.

In this episode of The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla speaks with Dario Paixao, City Secretary for Economic Development, Innovation and Artificial Intelligence.

Curitiba é a Comunidade Mais Inteligente do Mundo de 2024. O prêmio foi entregue na noite de segunda-feira (4) em Barcelona (Espanha), em evento que reuniu autoridades das sete cidades que concorriam ao título conferido pelo Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) neste ano. Assaí, no Norte do Paraná, também foi uma das finalistas deste ano.

The Intelligent Community Forum Names its First Brazilian City for Development Excellence

(November 4, 2024 – New York City, NY, USA & Barcelona, Spain) – For the first time in its 25-year history, the Intelligent Community Forum honored a Brazilian city with its top award today when it named Curitiba as the 2024 Intelligent Community of the Year. Curitiba, located in the state of Paraná, had been previously named a Smart21 Community eight times and to the prestigious list of Top7 four times since 2021. The announcement was made during the annual Intelligent Community Awards Dinner at Can Travi Nou in Barcelona, the culminating event of this year’s ICF Global Summit conference. (www.icfsummit.com) The Intelligent Community Awards Dinner was sponsored by Becamex IDC.

No início de novembro, será revelada qual a comunidade mais inteligente do mundo de 2024 pelo Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a instituição global que estabeleceu o conceito de cidades inteligentes há quase 30 anos. Neste ano, duas cidades paranaenses competem pelo título: Curitiba, que pelo quarto ano consecutivo figura entre as sete finalistas, e Assaí, cidade do Norte Pioneiro que conquistou a maior autoridade em comunidades do mundo, John G. Jung.

O fundador do Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), John Jung, está em Curitiba para a avaliação da cidade antes da eleição da comunidade mais inteligente do mundo. A capital paranaense é uma das sete finalistas ao prêmio, que será entregue em novembro em Barcelona, durante o ICF Global Summit. Assaí, no interior do estado, também concorre ao título em 2024. As duas cidades paranaenses são as únicas da América Latina na lista deste ano.

Communities from Brazil, Canada, Taiwan and the United States become finalists for Intelligent Community of the Year to be named at the ICF Global Summit in November in Barcelona

(New York, NY, USA & New Taipei City, Taiwan – June 19, 2024) – In an announcement today at the end of a live conference in New Taipei City, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2024. The 22nd annual Top7 list includes cities and counties from Brazil, Canada, Taiwan and the United States. One of these seven finalists in the think tank’s annual awards program will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Summit in November. (www.icfsummit.com)

In alphabetical order, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2024 are:

• Assaí, Paraná, Brazil
• Coral Gables, Florida, USA
• Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
• Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
• Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Hilliard, Ohio, USA
• Yunlin County, Taiwan

Social, economic and political division have a cost. I suspect we can all agree on that, despite our divisions. But how much is it?

In 2023, two ratings agencies downgraded the credit worthiness of the United States. Their reason? Division, specifically the repeated down-to-the-wire debt ceiling battles that threatened the government’s ability to pay its bills. The agencies admitted the downgrades would have no immediate impact on America’s ability to borrow. That word “immediate” reminded me a Hemingway character who, when asked how he went bankrupt, said, “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”

The price is hard to measure because, most of the time, it is about lost opportunity. Take local government. When voters are divided, they alternately elect leaders of wildly different beliefs about the right way to govern, often with the speed of Dr. Jekyll turning into Mr. Hyde and back again. Each set of leaders condemns the work of their predecessors and starts building something new, only to see it torn down again with the next change of office. Forward motion freezes and, with it, the ability to seize the opportunities streaming by.

Communities from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and Vietnam become finalists for Intelligent Community of the Year to be named at the ICF Summit in October

(New York, NY, USA & Durham Region, ON, Canada – June 20, 2023) – In an announcement today at the conclusion of a two-day hybrid live and online conference, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2023. The 21st annual Top7 list includes cities and counties from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and Vietnam. One of these seven finalists in the think tank’s annual awards program will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Summit in October. (www.icfsummit.com)

In alphabetical order, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2023 are:

• Binh Duong Smart City, Vietnam
• Coral Gables, Florida, USA
• Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
• Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
• Greater Geelong, Victoria, Australia
• Hilliard, Ohio, USA
• Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia