2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

Belo Horizonte, Brazil's third largest creative centre, is implementing the Belo Horizonte Smart City (BHCI) programme to modernise the city and promote innovation. Launched in 2018 and expanded in 2022, the BHCI aims to integrate all sectors of the municipal administration into five main axes: Sustainability, Environment and Well-Being; Mobility and Security; Governance, Citizenship and Citizen Services; Economic Development and Urbanism; and Technological Culture and Digital Inclusion. The programme seeks to continually adapt to the demands of the population and current technologies, focusing on citizen participation and cooperation in project development. In this way, the BHCI stimulates people's engagement and promotes digital inclusion and social innovation. A notable example is the food security policy, which aims to guarantee the human right to adequate and healthy food, with programmes ranging from agro-ecological production to assistance for vulnerable populations. In addition, Belo Horizonte offers incentives for the development of the technology sector, bringing private initiative closer to public management and the needs of citizens. 

The smart city approach focuses on attracting investment and promoting innovation, with a focus on the creative and gastronomic economies. The concept of ‘Resilience in economic and urban development’ encompasses specific actions to promote socio-productive resilience and improve the business environment in the city. Among the programme's interventions are the expansion of the fibre optic network, the provision of an Open Data Portal, the promotion of the creative economy and cultural dynamism, requalification and urban interventions. Specific projects include the replacement of public lighting bulbs with LED, the implementation of a Chatbot platform to modernise the City Hall's service channels, and partnerships with technology companies such as Waze to improve urban traffic. These initiatives reflect Belo Horizonte's commitment to sustainable and inclusive development, using technology as an essential tool to improve citizens' quality of life and boost the city's economic and urban growth. The BHCI represents a comprehensive effort to create a smarter, more resilient and connected city, where innovation and citizen participation are fundamental to progress and the well-being of all.

• https://prefeitura.pbh.gov.br/cidade-inteligente#:~:text=Em%202022%20e%202023%2C%20Belo,no%20ranking%20Connected%20Smart%20Cities (External link).