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Annual Theme

Investing in Global Cities: Opportunities in Adversity

Industrial companies, high-growth SMEs and financial investors find the sources of innovation and growth here. In 2030, according to forecasts, 60-80 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Today, cities already produce 75 per cent of global added-value and nine innovations in ten. City development has become one of the greatest human challenges worldwide and offers a path beyond the present crisis to economic growth, innovative social solutions, and sustainable development.

At stake

International investors have made big cities their prime target.

Europe has to respond to this global challenge in order to develop the international attractiveness of its cities and make sure they remain the hot spots for business, culture and creativity. To best address these topics, the 2009 WIC is changing, growing and renewing:

  • International: the 2009 WIC is turning more international than ever, with speakers and participants from more than 50 countries
  • Exclusive: the event is attended by the most listened global opinion leaders, coming especially to present their vision and experience of city development
  • Extending: the traditional high-level panel of global business leaders and European officials speakers is extending to Pritzker prize architects, world-known artists and philosophers, global and second city mayors from the five continents, etc…

All will debate the issues surrounding tomorrow’s “Urban planet” and the response that European cities, big and small, must achieve to remain attractive.

Conference content

Towards a new for global city - opportunities to enhance Europe’s attractiveness

The 2009 WIC is a 2-day event, with 3 plenary sessions and 7 workshops, attended by 1,000 global business leaders, innovative enterprises, architects, sociologists, policymakers, institutions and artists addressing strategic issues outlined below:

What will a city be like in 2030?
- How do architects, sociologists, investors and city mayors foresee the “urban planet” 20 years from now?
- How do we control and manage the development of European cities?
- What investment opportunities will arise from these changes? What are the opportunities for services and for technology?
- How can European cities differentiate themselves from rivals’ high-growth economies?
- What opportunities will there be for second-tier cities?
- City development: a new source of growth to overcome the current crisis?

The 2009 WIC will also host the exhibition “Picturing the city of our future” along with themes including “Create the city”, ”Techni-cities” and “Shoot the city”.

NewsWic

Ernst & Young

Special guests 2009

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WIC :
WIC DIGG-LIKE

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