Christina Yan Zhang

CEO | The Metaverse Institute London, United Kingdom
Christina Yan Zhang

Biography

Christina is a leader who has sat on 20 committees for UNESCO, World Bank innovation. She is ITU Co-Chair on CitiVerse, creating UN roadmap on citizen-centred cities.

Sessions

13:05h
Thematic Roundtable | SMART CITY EXPO

Citiverse Rising: Virtual Worlds and AI Agents for Urban Transformation

Aline Matta
Aline Matta United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities Head Speaker
Christina Yan Zhang
Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Speaker and Moderator
Cristina Bueti
Cristina Bueti International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Focal Point on Smart Sustainable Cities and AI-powered Virtual Worlds Speaker
Hyoung Jun Kim
Hyoung Jun Kim ITU-T Study Group 20 Chair Speaker
Kamelia Kemileva
Kamelia Kemileva Global Cities Hub Co-Director, Programmes and Administration Moderator
Okan Geray
Okan Geray Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI Steering Committee Chair Speaker
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio Harvard University Professor Speaker
Roland van der Heijden
Roland van der Heijden Municipality of Rotterdam Chief Citiverse Officer Speaker

#Agile Governance, #Artificial Intelligence, #Augmented Reality, #Data, #Real-time Monitoring

2025-11-04 13:05 2025-11-04 13:50 Europe/Madrid Citiverse Rising: Virtual Worlds and AI Agents for Urban Transformation

Discover how virtual worlds and federated AI agents are transforming the way cities are designed, governed, and experienced. This session explores the emerging "Citiverse" — a next-generation digital ecosystem empowering inclusive, data-driven, and participatory urban transformation.

Stage: Tech X Cities
Tue 4 13:05h - 13:50h Stage: Tech X Cities All Passes
11:05h
In Focus | SMART CITY EXPO

AI-Powered Cities: When Disruption Becomes Direction

Christina Yan Zhang
Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Speaker and Moderator
Esteve Almirall
Esteve Almirall ESADE Full Professor Speaker and Moderator
José Melo Bandeira
José Melo Bandeira Veolia Deputy CEO, Spain Speaker
Juan Corro Beseler
Juan Corro Beseler Madrid City Council Manager of the Autonomous IT Agency at Madrid City Council Speaker
Kirk Arthur
Kirk Arthur Microsoft Worldwide Government Solutions Lead Speaker
Regiane Relva Romano
Regiane Relva Romano FACENS | VIP-Systems Head Smart City Speaker and Moderator

#Algorithm Ethics, #Responsible AI, #Sustainable AI

2025-11-04 11:05 2025-11-04 11:50 Europe/Madrid AI-Powered Cities: When Disruption Becomes Direction

How can cities harness AI to drive smarter, fairer decisions? As AI reshapes urban life, its potential to optimize public services and governance grows—so does the need for ethical, transparent systems. Explore how responsible, sustainable AI can guide smart cities toward more efficient, inclusive, and future-ready urban environments.

Stage: Tech X Cities
Tue 4 11:05h - 11:50h Stage: Tech X Cities All Passes
15:30h
High-Level Roundtable | SMART CITY EXPO

Transforming Security: A Human-Centered Approach to Safety and Trust

Alberto Gago Fernandez
Alberto Gago Fernandez Secretaría de Estado de Digitalización e Inteligencia Artificial - Speaker
Atul Rajput
Atul Rajput Axis Communications Director, Channel Partners and End Customers, EMEA Speaker
Bogdan-Georgian Gavrilescu
Bogdan-Georgian Gavrilescu Urbio Romania Bid Director Speaker
Christina Yan Zhang
Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Speaker and Moderator
Monica Lucarelli
Monica Lucarelli City of Rome Councillor for Productive Activities and Equal Opportunities Speaker

#Cybersecurity, #Data Protection, #Digital Rights, #Safety & Security, #Urban Safety

2025-11-05 15:30 2025-11-05 16:15 Europe/Madrid Transforming Security: A Human-Centered Approach to Safety and Trust

Cities face complex security challenges across both physical and digital spaces. As technologies like AI integrate into urban life, issues such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and public space safety demand creative, human-centered solutions. Thoughtful approaches to urban security, rooted in trust, ethics, and equity, are essential to maintain public confidence and ensure safe, inclusive cities. How can cities rethink security to protect people without compromising their rights?

Main Stage
Wed 5 15:30h - 16:15h Main Stage Visitor Pass not allowed
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