Diverse innovation key to faster urban development and 'soft power:' forum

Diverse innovation is the key to accelerate urban development and enhance "soft power," participants said during the 2021 Global Cities Culture Forum hosted in Shanghai on Thursday night.

Members from academia, government and cultural institutions met in person and virtually to discuss the importance of digitalization and upscaling soft skills in the city.

The forum emphasized the importance of digital transformation, enhancing the city's soft power, culture, technology and their intersection.

This sentiment was shared by many foreign officials from countries including Norway, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that international cooperation amongst different countries is more important than ever," said Horacio Rodriguez, vice chief of government in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Digital transformation is the main pillar of a city's development, and it will help with the development of a knowledge-based society and the economy that relies on this for knowledge, and the development of a competitive ICT (Internet, cloud and telecom) industry," said Hisham Azmi, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Culture in Egypt.

Panel discussions from officials further highlighted Shanghai's ambition to be a core city of competitive development – both in innovation and its indispensable culture deeply rooted in the city.

Jointly hosted by Shanghai's Hongkou District government and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the development of the North Bund Financial Center to serve as a key financial center – managing more than US$900 billion in assets – was also a focused topic at the conference.

"The success of future urban development lies in the culture that is deeply rooted in our city. One such example is Shanghai's development of the North Bund financial area, which will reach new heights in finance, technology and innovation," said Hu Guangjie, deputy Party secretary of Hongkou District.

"Digital transformation is of the utmost importance for sustainable development. While it's important to improve tangible aspects – financial and economic impact – the intersection of technology and culture is a soft skill that marks the success of any city," Hu added.