Foteini Daneli of daneli@hua.gr

A smart city utilizes advanced technologies to enhance the quality and performance of urban services such as energy, transportation, and utilities, ensuring a higher standard of living, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, a smart city can be defined as one that deploys cutting-edge digital technologies to connect, protect, and enhance the lives of its residents. According to these definitions, Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, is undergoing a significant transformation to become a leading smart city under the strategic framework of Vision 2030. This transformation focuses on leveraging technology and innovative solutions to enhance the quality of life, promote sustainability, and drive economic growth. Riyadh’s transformation into a smart city is a concerted effort involving multiple sectors and innovative projects. The focus on innovations in AI and IoT, smart health, smart mobility, governance, environmental sustainability and safety is set to improve the quality of life, promote sustainability, and drive economic growth. Riyadh has been ranked 30th in the global smart city ranking, but is it truly a smart city? The government of Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in technological development and economic diversification, which includes creating smarter cities that are sustainable, facilitate the local economy, and attract international visitors. With ongoing developments and mega projects like the Green Riyadh Initiative and the ALNAMA Smart City project, Riyadh is positioning itself as a leading smart city on the global stage. Are all these projects driving the city to become a benchmark model for future cities, or is this an urban utopia that, despite ambitious plans like the Neom project, may face challenges in implementation and require more realistic plans?

Biography:

Foteini Daneli is a member of the Special Technical Laboratory Staff (ETEP) at the Department of Informatics and Telematics of the School of Digital Technology of Harokopio University of Athens. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography (2006) and a master’s degree in applied Geography and Spatial Planning / Spatial Policies and Development in Europe (2009), both from the Department of Geography at Harokopio University of At

hens. From 2007 to 2019, she contributed to Harokopio University by supporting administrative, financial and technical processes of the Department of Informatics and Telematics. She actively participated in various activities, EU and national projects. Additionally, she has professional experience in spatial analysis and

real estate matters within the private sector. Her interests include topics related to urban development, spatial planning, applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and smart cities. During her academic studies, a great interest in spatial planning and urban development took root, that allowed her to delve deep into matters related to sustainability planning, organized residential complexes, and urbanization within the context of sustainable development. Her work experience since 2007 at the Department of Informatics and Telematics has enriched her perspective and approach to multifaceted challenges of management and demanding activities. It also sparked her interest in new technologies, their utilization, and

applications in a constantly changing urban environment, and the combination of these with geographical science. She is highly motivated to leverage and expand her knowledge in matters concerning sustainability planning, urban development, applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Smart-city technologies to improve the urban quality of life. These topics constitute her research interests soon.

Email:

Address:Athens, Greece