The Smart Country Convention in Berlin is the leading congress trade fair for e-government, Smart City and Smart region. It brings together all relevant players from administration, politics, the digital economy, associations and science. As a combination of congress, workshops, expo and networking, the Smart Country Convention (SCCON) is dedicated to the digitalization of cities, municipalities and public spaces.
In 2022, the trade fair attracted 12,000 participants, 215 exhibitors and more than 400 speakers on four stages. This year, the congress trade fair was also a meeting place for top politicians from the federal and state governments, cities and municipalities. Four federal ministers, Nancy Faeser, Klara Geywitz, Cem Özdemir and Volker Wissing, made appearances, while Berlin's governing mayor Franziska Giffey spoke on the main stage.
The team from the model project Smart City Dresden was not only there for the exciting convention program and to share knowledge with other municipalities, but also to celebrate. The Smart Country Convention also provided the setting for the presentation of the Smart City Award on the first day of the trade fair. With the Smart City Index, the digital association Bitkom compiles a digital ranking for Germany's major cities and compares the progress of digitalization in cities and regions. The successful transformation to a digital and networked city is analyzed and evaluated in the 5 categories of administration, IT and communication, energy and environment, mobility and society. The Smart City Award recognizes pioneering technological developments in a networked city. The fact that Dresden seems to be on the right track was rewarded for the first time with a place on the podium and 3rd place.
