For years, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) has tirelessly reiterated that it's about more than just mobile phones. This is evidenced by the fact that 60% of attendees come from other industries and that phones have been losing ground at the exhibitors visiting the Gran Vía Fairgrounds these days, in favor of the growing prominence of futuristic robots and even animated plush toys. To this end, the technology congress has decided to take things a step further this year, focusing on an industry where connectivity is key: aviation.

Every year, Barcelona becomes a showcase of the urban future. Robots that clean streets, smart grids, sensors that monitor air quality and mobility... While technology advances at a breakneck pace, one question arises forcefully: can a city truly be "smart" if it doesn't improve the emotional, relational, and community lives of its inhabitants? After more than a decade of smart citiesIt seems clear that technical intelligence is not enough. The great task ahead is to evolve towards a new paradigm: the "City 5.0," where technology serves human well-being, not the other way around.

When people first started talking about the cities of the future, also known as smart cities, the idea was to install as many sensors as possible to monitor the devices that would be deployed on the streets. Over time, other ways to achieve the same result have been discovered, without needing to invest heavily in new systems, such as existing video surveillance cameras, which have now become another source of information thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The AI craze has made security cameras one of the main attractions at the new edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress, the smart cities trade fair organized by Fira de Barcelona. "It's undoubtedly the hot topic right now, but we wanted to not only talk about AI, but also see solutions," explains the fair's director, Ugo Valenti. From Tuesday to Thursday, more than 1,100 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors will gather at the 14th edition of this fair, which originated in the Catalan capital and has expanded worldwide, with the expectation of surpassing last year's figures. With several countries participating, Israel does not have its own pavilion this year.

The main international event on smart cities and urban solutions organized by Fira de Barcelona, ​​​​theSmart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) will celebrate its largest edition in 2025. From Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th November, the trade fair and congress aims to harness the full potential of technologies to transform the urban landscape. To achieve this, it will bring together more than 1,100 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors, surpassing the attendance of the previous edition.