From 4 to 6 November 2025, ALDA took part in the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona, the world’s leading event dedicated to urban innovation and the transformation of cities through technology, sustainability, and inclusion.
Guided by the inspiring manifesto of the Century of Cities, the 2025 edition of the Expo celebrated the growing potential of cities to become living ecosystems of innovation, participation, and cooperation. The event brought together thousands of urban leaders, international pioneers, researchers, passionate innovators, and civil society actors, united by a shared vision: to craft our urban legacy and to make cities more connected, sustainable, and human-centered. Representing ALDA at the event were Rebecca Marconi (Project Manager) and Eleonora Ambrosi (Project Developer).
Smart & Green Cities for All: presenting the MICAD Horizon Europe Project
During the event Smart & Green Cities for All: The MICAD Vision, ALDA participated in the presentation of the Horizon Europe project MICAD – Metropolitan Inclusivity in Climate and Digital Transitions, of which it is a proud consortium partner. The MICAD consortium brings together experts in urban planning, green and digital transitions, participatory processes, and living lab methodologies, including metropolitan authorities, universities, research institutes, and innovation networks.
The session aimed to introduce MICAD to a group of potential stakeholders by offering an overview of the project’s goals, methodologies, and phases, with a particular focus on its capacity to support inclusive metropolitan planning for climate and digital transitions. It was an excellent opportunity also to gather insights and recommendations, and explore new potential collaborations to further refine and strengthen the project.
During the session, Rebecca Marconi presented the project’s exploitable results, together with the strategy for scaling their impact and defining clear exploitation pathways. As the strategic partner responsible for ensuring the sustainability and replicability of MICAD’s outcomes, ALDA plays a key role in guiding how results can be adopted by policymakers. This includes dedicated advocacy actions planned across the five metropolitan areas involved in the project (Metropolitan City of Milan, Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, GZM Metropolis, Municipality of Tirana, and Chisinau City Hall).
Strengthening Partnerships and Expanding ALDA’s Urban Innovation Network
Throughout the Congress, ALDA engaged in networking activities with city representatives, innovation networks, members of the ALDA community or partners in many joint actions, like DIBA and ICLEI, and new potential partners by exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the fields of urban governance, participation, and democratic resilience.
The Expo was a catalyst for this urban historic transformation and represented a valuable occasion to showcase ALDA’s commitment to supporting local and metropolitan authorities in making transitions that are not only smart, but also inclusive, democratic, and community-driven. As cities continue to lead the way towards a sustainable future, ALDA stands ready to accompany them in meeting global challenges, fostering participation, strengthening local democracy, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the Century of Cities.
