2022 SMART21 Communities Announced by ICF
To watch the entire video of the announcement see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odOySk7NIGg&t=1s
At the conclusion of a virtual conference co-hosted by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) and Economic Development Winnipeg, ICF named the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2022 on February 24, 2022. The selection of the annual Smart21 Communities of the Year marks the beginning of the annual nine-month process which will conclude when ICF names the 2022 Intelligent Community of the Year in October at the ICF Summit. Winnipeg was the 2021 Intelligent Community of the Year.
Each of the cities, towns, or regions that appear in the Smart21 have applied the six principles of the ICF Method to begin building inclusive economic prosperity, social health and cultural richness, which together make a community strong and resilient. Most have been working on their programs for several years.
The announcement concluded a virtual conference with the theme From Conflict to Community, which examined both historic and current conflicts within our communities and what we can learn from them to move forward. Speakers from organizations such as the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, The Carter Center, Silicon Harlem, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation participated in the event, which can be viewed on demand starting on Monday.
“Despite the pandemic and the epidemic of anger and contempt that has spread to parts of the globe, most Intelligent Communities remained focused on working through COVID, identifying what they need to know to continue their digital transformation and applying many of the innovations that have come from it,” said ICF Co-Founder, Lou Zacharilla, who hosted the Awards Ceremony announcing the Smart21 Communities of 2022. “Remarkably, these 21 all share the quality of staying on course on behalf of citizens and continue to use the ICF Method. This year, as we are doing in Winnipeg, we will be asking them to help us understand the nature of the conflicts within states and communities and to share best practices for moving away from the darker impulses that have taken hold.”
Following this announcement, the Smart21 will complete detailed questionnaires providing more information on their communities. From this data, ICF Analysts will select seven to be named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2022 at a conference taking place in June. The Top7 will be the focus of the 2022 ICF Global Summit in October, where one will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year.
The Smart21 Communities of 2022:
- Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Alexandria Lakes Area, Minnesota, USA
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- Binh Duong Smart City, Vietnam
- Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
- East Central Region, Minnesota, USA
- Elefsina, Attica, Greece
- Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
- Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
- City of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
- Markham, Ontario, Canada
- New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Prospect, South Australia, Australia
- Rochester, New York, USA
- Seat Pleasant, Maryland, USA
- Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Whanganui, New Zealand
The Smart21 Communities of 2022 include cities and counties from eight countries. The announcement video may be viewed below. The video is available by request as a high-resolution download.
The Smart21 are selected by ICF based on quantitative and qualitative data related to the six Factors of the ICF Method. The data and information are evaluated by a global team of Analysts led by Columbia professor, former Cisco executive and former Westchester County (New York) CIO, Dr. Norman Jacknis. Dr. Jacknis serves as a Senior Fellow of the Intelligent Community Forum. The ICF Method provides the conceptual framework for understanding the factors that determine a community’s competitiveness in economic, social and cultural terms. Click here to learn more about the ICF Method.
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