History
Ljubljana Forum 2022
On 6th and 7th October 2022, the 12th Ljubljana Forum took place in Ljubljana. The theme of this year's Forum was Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. For years, the international Forum is connecting many distinguished guests from public and private sector. At the same time, it is the place recognizing new initiatives and projects focused on improving the wellbeing of the cities. In addition to high representatives from the cities in the region the Ambassador of Nigeria to Romania and Slovenia, H.E. Safiya Ahmad Nuhu, and the president of Slovenia-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Fred Uduma, attended the Forum and joined the discussion. The participants were addressed by the Chairmen of the Ljubljana forum Blaž Golob and the Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković.
Ljubljana Forum 2021
The tenth edition of the Ljubljana Forum took place on 7th – 8th October 2021, at the Ljubljana Castle, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It welcomed over 130 participants, speakers, and moderators from all over the world. More specifically, geographic diversity of participants was as follows: 50% from South East and Central Eastern Europe, 15% from Slovenia, and 35% from the rest of the world. In addition, the Forum ensures diversity of stakeholders by welcoming participants, such as high level representatives, city leaders, futurists, urban planners, architects, academics and researchers, industry solution providers, consultants, governmental and European Union (EU) institution representatives, banks, civil society, and media.
Ljubljana Forum 2020
In ten years, there have been over 300 expert lectures on the development of a smart, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities. Every pandemic crisis in the history of civilization stopped the daily routine, reshaped the governance system, the role of cities and encouraged the best of human creativity. In the period from autumn 2020 to the autumn 2021 when Slovenia will hold the EU Presidency, city projects will be developed and presented.
Ljubljana Forum 2019
The ninth forum on future of cities focused on sustainable, smart, and inclusive cities. Nevertheless, a special attention has been given to Large Scale infrastructure projects and digital transformation of cities from Smart City 1.0 to Smart City 3.0. For the first time the new book about smart city evolution written by Mr. Lorenzo Madrid - a world class consultant - has been presented at a public event.
The city of Ljubljana is successfully keeping the pace with global developments in the dynamic green infrastructure development and providing opportunities for the new digital environment development. The increasing use of new emerging technologies, and our green agenda commitment is clearly visible in our work for sustainable, smart inclusive and resilient cities and societies
Ljubljana Forum 2018
The eight edition of the Ljubljana Forum took place 4-5 October 2018, at Ljubljana Castle, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It welcomed 160 participants, speakers, and moderators from all over the world.
More specifically, geographic diversity of participants was as follows: 50% from South East/Central Eastern Europe, 15% from Slovenia, and 35% from the rest of the world. When it comes to stakeholder diversity, the Forum welcomed participation of high level representatives, city leaders, futurists, urban planners, architects, academics and researchers, city industry solution providers, consultants, government, European Union (EU) institution representatives, banks, civil society, and media.
Ljubljana Forum 2017
Future of cities conference, held on 28th and 29th of September 2017 at Ljubljana castle, Ljubljana, Slovenia, gathered over 200 participants, which exchanged knowledge and discussed the issues, opportunities, and ideas on the city of well-being. The participants had the opportunity to network and build new alliances to cooperate on innovative projects and initiatives.
47 speakers and moderators from the government, cities and municipalities, business, institutes, and universities shared their insights on the key urban development challenges, future development opportunities, and the best smart city development projects with the aim to build cities of well-being with an improved European standard of living. City leaders exchanged good and bad city practice cases and formed new ideas for the future green and smart projects.
Ljubljana Forum 2016
Future of cities conference, held on 6th and 7th of October 2016 at Ljubljana castle, Ljubljana, Slovenia, gathered over 150 participants to exchange knowledge and discuss the issues,
opportunities and ideas on green cities and smart infrastructure.
The participants had the opportunity to network and build new alliances to cooperate on innovative projects and initiatives. 45 speakers and moderators from government, cities and municipalities, business, institutes, and universities, shared their insights on the key urban development challenges, future development opportunities, and the best smart city development projects with the aim to build green cities and smart infrastructure. City leaders exchanged good and bad city practice cases and formed new ideas for the future green and smart projects.
Ljubljana Forum 2015
Ljubljana Forum 2015 gathered over 120 participants to exchange the knowledge, discuss the opportunities and ideas for empowering cities and people.
31 speakers from governments, cities and municipalities, business, NGOs, institutes, and universities, gave their insights on the key urban development challenges, future development opportunities, and the best smart city development projects aimed at building the empowered cities and people of the future. City leaders learned about the importance of smart measuring, monitoring and managing the performance of the city and shared their experience on smart city development projects.
Highlights of Ljubljana Forum 2015
- 1. In the key note address Mr Miro Cerar, Prime Minister of
the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, expressed the commitment of the
Government to support sustainable and smart development of cities. - 2. The city of Ljubljana highlighted the received European Green capital 2016 title.
- 3. Ms Patricia McCarney, President and CEO, World Council on City Data presented
ISO 37120, the first global smart city measurement standard. - 4. For the very first time, the Smart Mayor project to respond to smart city needs
was presented. - 5. Ljubljana Forum Award 2015 was granted to the Ankara Boulevard project, Turkey.
Ljubljana Forum 2014
Ljubljana Forum 2014 created a network of worldwide experts, joined cities of the region and, thus, enabled broad discussion on cities’ issues, future challenges, and development opportunities. Participants shared experience on applying various solutions to the cities’ challenges that can be similarly applied in many cities. The main aim was to learn and improve - that is what being smart means.
Five highlights of Ljubljana Forum 2014
- 1. Presentation of success factors for Ljubljana becoming Green Capital of
Europe 2016 - 2. Opening of the Smart City Innovation Center for South East Europe by IBM
- 3. Presentation of the City of Bilbao: a good practice case of building a modern city
- 4. Presentation of Smart City Platform with technological solutions
- 5. Mayors - City Leaders presentations of cities’ good practice cases
The participants of Ljubljana Forum 2014 agreed that we have the knowledge needed, financial institutions and funds, technological solutions, and the political will to create smart cities. However, enhanced cooperation of all stakeholders is crucial for this transformation to be successful.
We are proud to announce that the 2nd Ljubljana Forum award was granted to the project "CENTER FOR EDUCATION OF CHILDREN ON THE PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT AND WATER SYSTEMS" Municipality of Podgorica, MONTENEGRO.
Ljubljana Forum 2013
Conference on Managing Water & Transport in the Danube Region took place at Ljubljana castle 17th and 18th October, 2013.
Nearly 140 participants from 19 different countries had the opportunity to exchange their knowledge, experience and project ideas on water and transport management and to establish new ways of cooperation among themselves as also with potential investors.
56 speakers from European Union, European investment bank, governments, municipalities, private businesses, NGOs, institutes, consultant companies, universities, presented their views, experiences, projects and future visions of urban development in the field of water and transport management in Europe.
The Chairman of Ljubljana Forum, Mr Blaž Golob stressed the importance of building such cooperation among various stakeholders in order to create future development models for the cities to enable them to pursue the goals of Europe 2020.
Ljubljana Forum 2013 offered valuable examples of addressing cities’ challenges in the areas of water and transport management. Mayors and city representatives of the Danube region presented key issues in the field of urban water and transport management, highlighted major urban projects and present future visions and strategies of water and transport management in their cities. Participants also learnt about financial instruments and opportunities and about available industry solutions for future development of cities. IBM as a partner of Ljubljana Forum 2013 presented conclusions of their recent study: Management of traffic in Ljubljana Urban Region. There was also Sava Commission session on Friday, where 24 projects in the Danube Region were presented.
For the first time, there was Ljubljana Forum Award granted to the most innovative and effective practice of sustainable urban development. This year Ljubljana Forum Award was granted to ADA Bridge in Belgrade.
Ljubljana Forum 2012
Foresight conference on Energy Efficiency & being Always On-Line, gathered 160 participants from 29 different countries and many online viewers from all around the world to learn, to exchange and discuss their views and experiences on European sustainability challenges, existing energy efficiency industry solutions and new business models and future possibilities for making our cities even smarter and even more energy efficient. Following the conferences’ conclusions, the Future of Cities Model has been designed.
Videos collection by Studio12
Conference Participants Interviews
FUTURE OF CITIES TV Show
Ljubljana Forum 2011
Conference on Future of Cities was creative and impressive vision building event, where various stakeholders discussed global challenges, European identity of cities and smart industry solutions for
future of cities.