Recently, over 80 delegates from 19 cities across 11 nations and five international organizations convened in Guangzhou for the 2025 Workshop for Thought Leaders, hosted by the World Association of Major Metropolises (Metropolis).
Focused on "Digital Technology: Accelerating the Local Implementation of the Global Agendas," delegates explored on-site how innovation in smart transportation, AI, and the low-altitude economy is reshaping urban futures.
Jordi Vaquer, Secretary-General of Metropolis, briefs an audience at the workshop
Jordi Vaquer, Secretary-General of Metropolis, highlighted Guangzhou's dual-track approach: "The city rehabilitates old central neighborhoods while creating safe community spaces for all generations. This proves Guangzhou invests not only in mega projects but in human-scale solutions that enhance quality of life."
Vaquer noted 30 Chinese member cities of Metropolis, with Guangzhou serving as the Asia-Pacific Secretariat. The event blended policy dialogues with site visits to "connect theory and practice," ahead of Metropolis' 40th-anniversary summit in Seoul this September.
Claudia Patricia Silva Yepes, Urban Renewal Manager in Bogotá, showcased Colombia's "Care Blocks," which entail 25 service hubs supporting both vulnerable citizens and caregivers. "We learned immensely here," she said, praising Guangzhou's integration of heritage and greenery amid renewal. "Historical revitalization alongside modern development is remarkable," she added.
São Paulo's Pedro Rebelo, a six-time visitor to Guangzhou, observed consistent progress: "Each trip reveals innovation advancing citizens' lives." He sees parallels between the megacities' challenges in scaling solutions. Rebelo shared São Paulo's "I'm Legal" digital platform, formalizing informal workers through tax compliance tools—a model proposed for Guangzhou's own informal sector, as he suggests.
Pedro Rebelo shares the past experience of city management in São Paulo, Brazil
While visiting a properly renovated historical community named Liurong in Yuexiu District, Agnès Bickart, Head of Institutional Relations at Metropolis, was struck by Guangzhou's intergenerational spaces. "Facilities connecting elders with youth through a cross-generational approach are absolutely essential." Walking through a revitalized district, she told colleagues, "I wish I could spend my final days in a neighborhood like this – my Barcelona community is similar in size but not in spirit."
Delegates visit Liurong community, a flourishing community in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
The workshop underscored technology's role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals locally. As Vaquer concluded, cities like Bogotá, São Paulo, Seoul, and Guangzhou are pioneering digitalization not for its own sake, but to build "communities where everyone supports each other." With 42 global megacities set to gather in Seoul, Guangzhou's blend of heritage preservation, green urbanism, and inclusive tech continues to inspire the world's urban future.
Reporter | Guo Zedong
Video & Photo | Guo Hongda
Video cover | Guo Hongda
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
