At the pre-Expo virtual event on Urban and Rural Development, Slovenia presented innovative and digital solutions that are being introduced to Slovenian urban and rural environments, in order to improve the quality of life of residents and create a green future and a low-carbon society.

The organisers of the Expo Dubai 2020 had to postpone and reschedule the event for a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, in the meantime, they are conducting a series of virtual events which are intended to introduce topics, present the operation of countries, and establish business interconnections.

Last week, at a virtual event on urban and rural development, Slovenia had the opportunity to present innovative and digital solutions which it is introducing in urban and rural environments, in order to improve the quality of life, and create a green future and a low-carbon society.

Slovenia has developed a smart specialisation strategy which will be implemented, inter alia, through Strategic Development and Innovation Partnerships for Smart Cities and Communities. "We are establishing an ecosystem of partners that constantly synergistically upgrade and interconnect their competencies in the area of smart cities and communities to implement smart specialisation," said the executive director of partnerships, Matjaž Logar. "Our objective is to depict Slovenia on the global map as a green, active, healthy, and digital country with top-level conditions for creation and innovation," he added.

Moreover, Slovenia showcased the Smart Villages initiative, which is a response to two contemporary trends - digitalisation and urbanisation. "Smart villages are rural communities that apply innovative solutions and digital technologies to find solutions to economic, social, or environmental challenges. In the Smart Villages initiative, we bear in mind the people; therefore, the aim is to create rural areas where people wish to live, as innovative and digital solutions improve their quality of life," explained Slovenian MEP Franc Bogovič. He emphasised the Sopotniki project, which tackles the problem of mobility in rural areas through voluntary transportation of people aged 65 and over, as an example of good practice.

Expo will be hosted by Dubai from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.