How can digital tools make cities safer and enhance social cohesion?

Web conference

9 June 2022, 14:00-15:30 (CET)

The use of technologies has become increasingly common as a means of addressing security challenges such as incivilities, crowd management, or terrorist threats. Although the emphasis has long been placed on surveillance, a whole range of civic technologies and initiatives have emerged that facilitate the involvement of citizens in the co-production of urban security policy and to enhance social cohesion.

Such use of technology is illustrated by the BeSecure-FeelSecure (BSFS) project (2019- 2023), co-funded by the Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) and implemented in the City of Piraeus (GR). The project established a Collaborative Urban Risk Management (CURiM) application for citizens, where they can alert one another about urban security challenges  in their communities. Data collected by CURiM is then used by a platform for urban security stakeholders and specialists, like members of the Local Council for Crime Prevention, to plan evidence-based urban security interventions. 

We will also explore other European and international examples of digital tools that improve social cohesion and citizens’ feelings of security. 

This webconference will be the third one in a series of four to present BSFS experience with security assessments and governance, victim support, and the use of technological solutions in urban security.

In this session, we will ask:

  • How to foster participation to co-produce urban security policy through technology?
  • What is CURiM and how can citizens participate in its use?
  • How does the CURiM application aim to enhance social cohesion?
  • What other relevant peer initiatives week to enhance social cohesion and the feeling of security of citizens?
  • How can a gender lense be added to these ICT tools? 

Speakers:

<strong>Marios Zacharias</strong>
Marios Zacharias

Technical Manager of BSFS , which elaborated the CURIM Application

<strong>Francesca Zanutto</strong>
Francesca Zanutto

member of the EU co-funded ToNite project, that created Telling Stone, a storytelling and community engagement activity.
Francesca Zanutto has worked in marketing and communication for the tourism and cultural sector for over 15 years with a special interest in places image and destination branding topics. With a phd in Economic Geography (La Sapienza) she lived in Canada to complete her degree in Public Relations, worked in Madrid at the Communication and Press office of the World Tourism Organization, accompanied tours all over the world, especially in Brazil, to write a travel guidebook. She is currently a contract professor at the University of Turin and University of Valle d’Aosta where she does research on the relationship between tourists and residents and especially their use of urban services and outdoor activities as education tools. She works as external relations for the innovative start-up Espereal Technologies that has developed an innovative digital system called Tellingstones used as a community engagement tool in ToNite (Urban Innovative Action) an european project of the City of Turin which addresses the issue of night security, placing local communities at the centre with a view to social innovation and urban regeneration. 

<strong><strong>Kalpana Viswanath</strong></strong>
Kalpana Viswanath

Co-founder and CEO of Safetipin.
Dr Kalpana Viswanath, a researcher and practitioner on gender inclusive urbanisation, is the co-founder and CEO of Safetipin, a social enterprise that uses technology and data to advocate for gender inclusive urban spaces and mobility. She has worked to build safer cities in India and across the world. She is part of Delhi government Women’s Safety Committee and has worked as a consultant with UN Women and UN Habitat. She is a member of the Advisory Group on Gender Issues(AGGI) at UN Habitat, Board member of SLOCAT, ICPC and Jagori. She has received several awards and was listed among Apolitical’s 100 most influential in gender policy 2021. She has published widely, co-edited a book on Building Gender Inclusive Cities and has been a regular columnist.

Moderators:

Eszter Karácsony
Eszter Karácsony

Programme manager, Efus

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Beatričė Juškaitė
Beatričė Juškaitė

Programme manager, Efus

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The event will take place online on Efus’ Zoom Platform

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