On 31 October 2025, we celebrate World Cities Day, a moment to recognise the pivotal role cities play in building equitable, prosperous, and inclusive communities. Since 2014, this day has raised awareness of urbanisation challenges and promoted global collaboration to improve city life.
This year, the Global Observance of World Cities Day in Bogotá, Colombia, focuses on People-Centred Smart Cities, a theme that resonates strongly with ERTICO’s mission. By harnessing data-driven decision-making, cutting-edge technologies, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mobility and transport, cities can enhance urban life while prioritising citizens’ needs, inclusivity, and accessibility.
Driving Innovation for People-Centred Mobility Solutions
At ERTICO, we are proud to collaborate with cities, partners, and stakeholders across Europe and beyond to exchange best practices, share experiences, and contribute to people-centred smart city initiatives. Through our activities, we support cities in leveraging digital technologies and data to deliver better services, tackle urban challenges, and improve the well-being of residents.
ERTICO City Moonshot Initiative
As cities continue to grow into dynamic urban hubs with rapidly evolving populations, the City Moonshot initiative embodies our vision to empower intelligent, safe, and resilient mobility for an inclusive and sustainable society. Through this initiative, we seek to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by cities and national authorities in urban mobility and to create a lasting and tangible impact on how cities enhance the way people live and move.
City Moonshot has engaged with over 250 cities and regions worldwide to explore their mobility challenges, priorities, and trends, building a unique knowledge database with relevant insights and best practices around e-mobility, sustainability, Mobility as a Service (MaaS), data sharing and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The key findings are presented in two reports: the Phase I Report and the Focus On Report. ERTICO is continuing its efforts to interview more cities, aiming to reach a total of 300.
By giving cities, a voice in shaping their mobility systems, City Moonshot ensures that solutions are grounded in real-world needs and drive meaningful, people-focused change.
Join the City Moonshot initiative and share your city’s insights on smart mobility challenges, data sharing, Mobility as a Service, and sustainable transport policies.
Looking Ahead: Towards People-Centred Smart Cities at the 17th ITS European Congress
World Cities Day 2025 reminds us that smart cities must put people first. Through our activities and initiatives like City Moonshot, we support collaboration, innovation, and citizen engagement as key element for building smarter, more sustainable, and inclusive cities worldwide.
Through collaboration with partners and stakeholders across Europe and beyond, ERTICO is proud to contribute to shaping cities that are smarter, more sustainable, and designed for the people. Next year, during the 17th ITS European Congress, hosted in the city of Istanbul 27-29 April, ERTICO will once again host the Smart Mobility Summit of Cities and Regions that will bring together public authorities, city leaders, and regional policymakers from across Europe to accelerate innovation in mobility and transport.
As part of our mission to drive innovation in mobility, the Summit will act as a catalyst for knowledge exchange and collaboration, offering a unique forum where leaders can connect policy, innovation, and real-world deployment. The focus of next year’s Summit will be on the Urban Nodes of the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T) and their requirement to put in place their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) by 2027.