With cities at an inflection point, the tenth CityLab October 18 – 20 will convene more than 500 mayors, policymakers, urban innovators, business leaders, cultural experts, and creatives to share and explore scalable solutions
Initial featured speakers and participants include Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Vishaan Chakrabarti, Dachner Keltner, Mitch Landrieu, Matthew Thompson, and mayors from hundreds of cities across the globe
Media Contacts:
The Aspen Institute:
Jon Purves
jon.purves@aspeninstitute.org
Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Sam Fuld
sam@bloomberg.org
New York, NY & Washington, D.C., August 28, 2023 – The tenth Bloomberg CityLab, the preeminent global cities summit organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the Aspen Institute, will take place in Washington D.C. October 18 to October 20, 2023.
Cities, at an inflection point, face an era of increasingly intractable issues – from leading their communities through rapid urbanization to confronting emerging technologies to reinvigorating economic development to solving for housing affordability. Bloomberg CityLab 2023, against the historic backdrop of Washington D.C., will convene more than 500 mayors and leading urban and civic leaders, from policymakers to creatives. Together they will share and explore new ideas and urban interventions that are being pressure-tested in the present and will impact the future of cities – where more than half the world’s population lives.
Drawing on a decade of data, experiments, and initiatives pioneered by city leaders from around the world, programming will include panel discussions, one-on-one interviews, interactive breakout sessions, artistic performances, excursions to unique destinations across Washington, D.C., and key events for mayors and local officials. Topics that will be addressed include:
- The promise and peril of generative artificial intelligence for the public sector
- Implementing once-in-a-generation infrastructure funding
- Advancing economic equality and environmental justice
- Transforming streets and mobility options that put residents first
- Building newfound community connections within and across cities
- Solving for sweeping, societal challenges such as climate change, public health and mental health care services, and tackling homelessness while expanding access to quality, affordable housing
Members of the media are invited to register to attend. Media credentials must be arranged in advance. For more information, please contact jon.purves@aspeninstitute.org or sam@bloomberg.org.
Among the featured speakers will be Michael R. Bloomberg, 108th mayor of New York City, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies; Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm’s growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects; Dacher Keltner, author, The New Science of Awe; Scott Kratz, Senior Vice President of 11th Street Bridge Park; Mitch Landrieu, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator, former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana; Anthony Smith, Executive Director of Cities United; and Matthew Thompson, editor of Headway, an initiative from The New York Times. Many additional speakers will be announced and posted on the website in the weeks to come.
“We are living in a time of extraordinary change, and progress on big, global challenges like public health, homelessness, climate change, and more increasingly depends on strong city leadership. Fortunately, cities have a growing, global network supporting them every step of the way,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “The tenth CityLab is where local leaders and innovators can share strategies, learn from one another, and help spread more of the ideas that can change the world, starting in their own communities.”
“We are excited to welcome mayors, innovators, leaders, and creatives from around the world to downtown D.C. for the annual Bloomberg CityLab summit,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C. “Now is the time to unleash our creativity — to think big and be bold, and this summit gives us the opportunity to come together and set the stage for the future of our cities. There is no better place to do this work and strategize than here in D.C. — the city where people come to change the world.”
“Bloomberg CityLab is an indispensable global summit where urban leaders and innovators can share their expertise and passion for developing thriving, inclusive, and sustainable cities,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “Returning to Washington D.C. in the tenth year of CityLab provides an incredible opportunity to reflect on the past and explore what lies ahead alongside the world’s brightest minds and innovative thinkers. The Aspen Institute looks forward to working with our partner, Bloomberg Philanthropies, to bring leaders together to discuss critical issues ranging from the climate crisis to artificial intelligence, and more.”
Among those confirmed to attend are the mayors (or officials of equivalent position) of Banjul, Gambia; Bratislava, Slovakia; Butuan City, Philippines; Elad, Israel; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Glasgow, Scotland; Kitchener, Canada; Lusaka, Zambia; Montevideo, Uruguay; Monterrey, Mexico; Renca, Chile; Reykjavik, Iceland; San Pedro Garza García, Mexico; and Tirana, Albania; and from the United States, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; Durham, North Carolina; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Huntington, West Virginia; Kansas City, Kansas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Lansing, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; New York, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Rochester, New York; San Francisco, California; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Scottsdale, Arizona; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Tacoma, Washington; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Vancouver, Washington; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Youngstown, Ohio.
Bloomberg CityLab was founded on the principle that the most important innovation is happening at the local level and that global impact can be achieved when cities share solutions. For over a decade, CityLab summits have crisscrossed the globe, gathering the most influential mayors and voices from hundreds of cities worldwide. Summits have made global headlines, and generated tangible takeaways for attendees. Past CityLab conferences have been hosted in New York, Los Angeles, London, Miami, Paris, Detroit, Washington D.C., and Amsterdam.
To learn more about Bloomberg CityLab 2023, visit citylab.bloomberg.org.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
About the Aspen Institute:
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, please visit aspeninstitute.org.
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