Next Generation Cities

Strategies for Inclusive Digital Transformation

The question ‘Who owns the city?’ has become increasingly relevant in a time where data and technology influence and alter cities all over the world. While new technologies can offer solutions to urban challenges, their implementation often obstructs the inclusive character of digital cities. How can we design cities from which all urban stakeholders can benefit? 

During the full-day conference: Next Generation Cities, we will explore the necessary (alternative) strategies for inclusive, democratic and responsible urban digital transformation. How can you as a citizen, designer, policymaker or developer contribute to inclusive and fair cities? And how can we implement digital technologies in a responsible way? 

In presentations and workshops, experts from around the world will share and discuss their experience and strategies on how to implement algorithmic transparency; develop and safeguard digital rights; facilitate citizen-ownership of personal data; create data commons; organize collaboration between government and civic tech communities and much more. 

This event is organized by Waag, Amsterdam Smart City, the CTO Office of the City of Amsterdam, Pakhuis de Zwijger, Maastricht University, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and DI020. 

PROGRAMME

9:00
Doors open.

10:00 - 12:00 

- Welcome & introduction by moderator Farid Tabarki (Studio Zeitgeist) and aldermen responsible for art & culture and ict Touria Meliani (City of Amsterdam). 

- Panel discussion on the need for open, fair and inclusive digital technology and infrastructures. With Francesca Bria (Chief Technology and Digital Innovation Officer, City of Barcelona), Dr Richard Stallman (Chief GNUisance of the GNU Project and President of the Free Software Foundation), Marleen Stikker (director of Waag). 

- Introduction by Marleen Stikker (director of Waag) on how to rebuild a public and civic internet. 

- Keynote by London’s chief digital officer Theo Blackwell, on his Smart London Plan. 

- Keynote by Dan Hill (digital designer and urbanist) on emerging trends in digital technology & transformative processes in cities. 

- Wrap up and Q&A by moderator Farid Tabarki and Ger Baron (Chief Technology Officer at City of Amsterdam) on the emerging trends in digital technology & transformative processes in cities; and the best strategies for an inclusive digital transformation in Amsterdam. 

12:00 - 13:00 
Lunch break 

13:00 - 15:15 
Break-out sessions (see below for details). 

15:15 - 16:00 
CTO panel and wrap-up with a.o. Ger Baron (City of Amsterdam), Francesca Bria (City of Barcelona), Miguel Gamiño (Former CTO,  City of New York), Theo Blackwell (City of London), Andrey Belozerov (CTO Office, City of Moscow), Christian Rickerts (State Secretary at City of Berlin), Aisha Bin Bishr (CTO Dubai). 

16:00  
Drinks & kick-off ‘Amsterdam Smart City | the Next Chapter’

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS

First round: 13:00 - 14:00

1. Algorithm Auditing 
In this workshop, the City of Amsterdam, KPMG and the University of Amsterdam will collaborate and show the audience a hands-on case which involves an algorithm. We will investigate algorithmic transparency, ethical auditing, and look into legislation regarding algorithms. With a.o.: Tamas Erkelens (City of Amsterdam), Sander Klous (KMPG) and Marc Steen (TNO). 

2. Smart Citizens Lab 
Sensing your environment is becoming more accessible to citizens due to the rise of low-cost sensing tools. With relatively simple sensors we can measure sound, water and air quality around us. However, our environment is also increasingly sensing us. The accuracy of AI surveillance technology has grown exponentially, generating massive amounts of information about the environment and us. Where do bottom up and top down technologies meet and how can we make sense of the data becoming available? With Ivonne Jansen-Dings (Waag), Tomo Kihara (Playful Interventions) and Marek Vogt (Smarticipate, Waag).

3. Fundament for a Safe and Sound Digital City
The workshop of DI020 (the new digital infrastructure public space Amsterdam) discusses what is needed to establish a safe, capable and available environment for the collection and transportation of data. With a.o.: Theo Veltman (DI020, CTO Office at City of Amsterdam & Amstelveen).

4. DECODE: Data Sovereignty & Data Commons
During this session, practical alternatives to today’s centralised Internet are demonstrated by the project DECODE, in which it is possible to manage online identity, (personal) data, and collective governance in a citizen-friendly and privacy-aware fashion. With o.a.: Jaromil (CTO & co-founder dyne.org).

5. How Can we Have Less Surveillance Than The USSR? 
Digital technology has enabled governments to impose surveillance that Stalin could only dream of, making it next to impossible to talk with a reporter undetected. This puts democracy in danger. Richard Stallman (Chief Nuisance of the GNU project and President of the Free Software Foundation) will present the absolute limit on general surveillance in a democracy and suggest ways to design systems not to collect dossiers on all citizens. Also with Marleen Stikker (Director of Waag). 

6. Open Urban Platforms 
Lessons from market consultations by Hilversum and Amersfoort and the value of EU Reference Architecture. With a.o.: Jeroen Scheer (CTO of grid operator Alliander).

Second round: 14:15 - 15:15

7. Democracy by Design
Smart city digital technologies should be democratic, but how can policymakers and others align technological systems for public infrastructures with democratic decision-making processes in cities? Alliander, AMS Institute, and Maastricht University present their Democracy by Design diagnostic tool to explore its possibilities in the democratisation of the digital public infrastructure for energy solutions. With a.o.: Thijs Turel (Alliander), Merel Noorman (Assistant Professor, Tilburg University), Tsjalling Swierstra (Professor, Maastricht University) and Ebru İşgüzarer-Önder (Programme Developer, AMS Institute). 

8. Trust Framework
Digitisation has made it possible for services, products, and approaches to be tailored to people's personal circumstances and needs. Such an interconnected digital society, however, requires independent guarantees for trust in digital solutions. NGI.eu & DI020 Programme discuss the how and why of independent trust infrastructures and the preconditions and governance of digital trust. With a.o.: Bob Kronenburg (Alliander), Manon den Dunnen (DI020 & NGI.eu & Dutch Police), Rob van Kranenburg (NGI.eu IoT-Council), Marijn Fraanje (CIO at the city of The Hague), Frans Jorna (Director Digital City & Innovation, City of Almere) and Thomas Kruse (Strategist CIO, City of Utrecht).

9. Digital Social Innovation (for Sustainability)
The DSI4EU project investigates how citizens and organisations use technologies for the social good, how they can become better at it, and which technologies are fit at all. This break-out session discusses the principles underlying digital social innovation and looks at practices undertaken by citizens in the field of food, energy, and air quality. With a.o.: Socrates Schouten (Waag) en Marcos Perez-Batlle (Commissioner for the Technology and Digital Innovation Office at the Barcelona City Council).

10. (Smart City) User-centric Design 
During a co-design workshop, we develop ideas for the use of ‘smart technologies’ for citizen empowerment. How can novel technologies such as big data, media platforms or even games empower citizens to mobilise and organise themselves around collective societal issues? With a.o.: Nicolai Hansen (TU Eindhoven/AUAS) and Roel Nahuis (AUAS).

11. Public-Private Ethics and Data 
Local governments and (semi)private partners work together to realise common challenges. Under which conditions can this type of partnerships succeed? To what extent can and should data be shared? In this session, we will explore how institutions like CBS and the City of Amsterdam collaborate to make their data benefit the public. With Tamas Erkelens (City of Amsterdam Innovation), Gerhard Dekker (CBS, Urban Data Center), Rutger Rienks (KPN) and Jan Wester (TNO Big Data Value Center). 

12. GovTech, CivicTech: PublicTech 
What if we were asked to set up a governmental organization from scratch? How would that look like in this digital era? What could the citizen expect? What guiding principles to use? Which talent and skills would we need? With a.o.: Aik van Eemeren (CTO Office Amsterdam), and Anil Balgobind (CTO Office Amsterdam).

TICKET INFO 
Regular: 20 euro 
Student/CJP: 10 euro 
Stadspas: 5 euro 

Vegetarian lunch: €12,50 


Prices are excluding costs for services. 


Image © Frederico Savini (BY-NC-SA)