15/07/2016
https://www.facebook.com/worldcitiessummit/posts/1142844505776380:0
“I call it the starbucks-isation of cities (without infringing on any trademarks, haha) - when cities start looking alike, the shopping malls, the residential blocks, the experience. I enjoy Starbucks and its convenience; getting it from anywhere in the city. But when the experiences in cities become very homogenous, it gets very risky. I think it’s great that for the first time this year, the summit has taken culture and identity as one of the important themes when planning for cities. It is critical that cities maintain their identity while becoming smarter and more technologically-enabled; that it maintains its identity and what makes them unique – its experience, culture and heritage.”
Hazem Galal, Sector Global Leader, Cities & Local Government Sector, PwC
With blurring borders and rapid growth of the transport industry, we asked Hazem if he thought cities were becoming more homogenous. As part of PwC’s network, Hazem works with cities around the world to help them define and formulate visions and strategic plans, and translate them into action.
“Cities are very dynamic, they are constantly evolving. What make cities great are all the different types of interactions and experience we have in cities. Cities are where the friction happens - the vibrations, the exchange of ideas - where innovation is created.
Is there such a thing as a perfect city? I don’t think so. There are better-managed cities than others; there are more naturally beautiful cities than others; there are better-organised cities than others. A perfect city cannot exist because our own expectations as residents are constantly in flux. As if we are always looking for the next thing in cities. Stagnation is not a possibility. The best cities are those that don’t sit, rest, and believe they are accomplished. They need to constantly reinvent themselves.”
Hazem is a WCS YL and an attendee of WCS2016 – a gathering of minds to push for the next breakthrough in sustainability and liveability! Ps. We were also interviewing Hazem for a video interview for our YouTube page (www.youtube.com/user/WorldCitiesSummit). Do look out for it later this year!
