The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) announced on Oct. 11 that it held the second Seoul Smart City Prize ceremony at COEX in the capital on Oct. 10, awarding outstanding smart city initiatives that prioritize human-centric and technological innovation.
Among the top honorees were the cities of Abu Dhabi and Cali, as well as the mayors of Addis Ababa, Arlington, Baguio City, and Iligan. Out of over 220 submissions from 54 countries and 104 cities across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania, 42 semi-finalists were invited to attend the ceremony. WeGO recognized 21 cities, corporations, institutions, and individuals across several categories for their exceptional contributions to smart urban development.
Baguio City, Philippines, won the Human-CentriCity Gold Award for its BIAG project, which enhances digital health governance and addresses healthcare inefficiencies. Reykjavik, Iceland, secured the Tech-InnovaCity Gold Award for its Better City for Children - School Services project, which improves efficiency through a new digital system. Adanech Abiebie, Mayor of Addis Ababa, received the Leadership Prize for his contributions to the city’s development.
Special recognitions were awarded to Iligan by the Global Green Growth Institute, to Istanbul by the International Institute for Management Development, and to Dassault Systèmes by SEMI.
“We were truly impressed by the breadth of smart city projects that embody innovation and inclusivity. These qualities are what the Seoul Smart City Prize seeks to highlight,” said WeGO Secretary-General Kim Jeong-kee. “This marks the beginning of a tradition celebrating smart city projects dedicated to solving urban challenges and fostering inclusivity.”
The event also featured last year’s winners participating in the Offline Training Program and welcomed this year’s prize winners. The selection process involved three evaluation rounds conducted in partnership with Seoul National University’s Center for International Development Evaluation, and winners were chosen by a panel of experts.
