There is no doubt that digital transformation and connectivity play an important role in ensuring proper functioning and stimulating growth of any modern city. Whether accessing e-services, using electricity to heat their homes, taking the metro to get to work or choosing their representatives in the local elections, citizens, local communities and businesses rely on trustworthy, reliable and secure access to the Internet.
However, this dependency is also a source of vulnerability and creates numerous digital risks that any responsible authorities need to address and adequately prepare for. The magnitude of the task at hand requires cooperation and engagement across the whole society, including not only local authorities but also national administration, the private sector, research institutions and civil society organisations.
The public roundtable Smart and Secure: How to Build a Connected City of the Future? organised by EU Cyber Direct, the Municipality of Florence, and the EUI School of Transnational Governance explored how stakeholders can work better together to deliver sustainable and future-proof urban spaces that support growth, innovation and development while ensuring citizens' security and safety.
The roundtable kicked off with welcome remarks by Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, and Renaud Dehousse, President of the European University Institute. The following panel discussion included remarks by:
- Patryk Pawlak, Project Director, EU Cyber Diplomacy Initiative – EU Cyber Direct, European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Andrea Billet, Director, Certification and Surveillance Service, Italian National Agency for Cyber Security
- Laura Carpini, Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy
- Luigi Martino, Head of Cyber Security Division, University of Florence, Department of Political and Social Sciences
- Joshua Serrão, Strategic Advisor for Strategy and Innovation on Digital City Safety and Security, City of Amsterdam
- Stefano Serva, Space Programme Accreditation and Security Engineering Manager, European Space Agency
- Giacomo Speretta, Leonardo, Divisione Cyber & Security Solutions, Senior Vice President for Marketing & International Business
