Each year, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Awards Program offers a series of high-profile events to inspire and connect leaders from across the globe. Mark your calendars for these key conferences in the 2025 Awards cycle, each hosted in an Intelligent Community renowned for its forward-thinking initiatives and unique contributions to the global Intelligent Community movement.

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 Vietnamese City for Development Excellence

(October 26, 2023 – New York City, NY) – For the first time in its 24-year history, the Intelligent Community Forum honored a Vietnamese city with its top award today when it named Binh Duong as the 2023 Intelligent Community of the Year. Binh Duong, located in the southern part of the country, had been previously named a Smart21 Community five times and to the prestigious list of Top7 three times since 2019. Mai Hung Dung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee accepted the award for Binh Duong. The announcement was made during the annual Intelligent Community Awards Dinner in New York City, the culminating event of this year’s ICF Global Summit conference. (www.icfsummit.com)

“This year we witnessed an historic moment in the life of cities with Vietnam’s first Intelligent Community being named Intelligent Community of the Year,” said ICF Co-Founder Louis Zacharilla. “Binh Duong has methodically executed ICF’s Community Accelerator Strategy while participating in our annual awards. The city is a great example of the power of teamwork, focus on a clear and persistent strategy and a passionate dedication to creating a place that honors its people and is part of a nation preparing its citizens for the 21st Century. ICF’s Founders were also pleased to see Eindhoven, a former Intelligent Community of the Year, work with Binh Duong on adapting the Dutch city’s experience and best practices to Vietnam’s culture and transitioning economy. Binh Duong represents many things to other cities throughout the world, but mainly, it is physical, vibrant proof that ‘the middle of nowhere is no more!’”

Here’s a New York fact that may surprise you: 14 of the 32 violinists in our New York Philharmonic are of Korean descent. A sweet song to sing for Koreans when you consider that only 14% of New Yorkers are of Asian descent.

But why am I surprised?

Last night, I walked down the block to pick up my chicken parmesan take-out from my favorite place on East 69th Street. Outside my back door, the first thing I run into is the Mexican food cart. There were 6 people there – delivery guys chatting in Spanish, as is usually the case around that time of evening.

I get territorial when it comes to pride of place. It may be the psychic balm for the chronic case of homesickness I get whenever and wherever I travel.

With the exception of my university years, I have lived an entire life in the state of New York. In three places. I have lived in New York City for 40+ years. I grew up in the Finger Lakes region of the state, and for the past 20 years, spend time at a residence in Long Island in the eastern part of the state.

These places have been – for the most part – wonderful places for someone with my temperament. I have lived the life I dreamed of and wanted. I have built communities and friendships that are solid and long-lasting within the circumference of a few city blocks and internationally!

Whenever I get back from a trip – as happened recently upon my return from the Urban Future Conference #uf23 in Stuttgart – someone invariably says: “Oh, you went there? That’s on my bucket list.”

When I gave a TED Talk in Rio de Janeiro a few years ago, same thing. When I spoke at the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 in Oslo, ditto. “On my bucket list.”

Once in a while, someone will ask me: “What’s left on your bucket list?”

Nothing. I never had one.

Official Declaration to take place during the ICF Summit Awards Dinner on October 27 at the Ohio Statehouse

(OCTOBER 21, 2022 – NEW YORK CITY) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has declared the State of Ohio to be the world’s first Intelligent State at the conclusion of months of research conducted by ICF and its Global Institute in Dublin, Ohio. The research project aims to develop a set of objective standards and an evaluation process enabling other states and provinces to qualify as Intelligent States or Provinces, based on programs and practices at the municipal, county and state level.

Guests to include leaders from around the world and the Global Top7 Intelligent Communities, one of which will succeed Winnipeg as the 2022 Intelligent Community of the Year

(August 11, 2022, New York, NY & Dublin, OH, USA) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), the Institute for the Study of the Global Intelligent Community and the city of Dublin, Ohio, USA will present the 2022 ICF Global Summit: The Future of the Connected Community: The Intelligent Ohio Framework from October 26-27.

Economic developers from municipalities and counties discuss the changing nature of investment attraction, business stimulation and support, and the collaboration with other agencies and sectors needed to develop the economy of an Intelligent Community in a world being restructured by digital technologies. Moderated by John Jung, Co-Founder, ICF.

In this freewheeling conversation, municipal CIOs and IT experts discuss the challenges of deploying reliable and secure information technology systems to support operations, deliver services and improve decision-making – within the limits of municipal budgets.  They explore the opportunities to expand capabilities and reduce costs provided by the latest technology developments.