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Christina Yan Zhang

CEO | The Metaverse Institute London, United Kingdom

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 United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities Head - Senior Programme Management Officer Speaker

Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Speaker

Cristina Bueti International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Focal Point on Smart Sustainable Cities and AI-powered Virtual Worlds Speaker

Hyoung Jun Kim ITU-T Study Group 20 Chair Speaker

Kamelia Kemileva Global Cities Hub Co-Director, Programmes and Administration Moderator

Okan Geray Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI Steering Committee Chair Speaker

Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio Harvard University Professor Speaker

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

10:15h

Thematic Dialogue | SMART CITY EXPO

Advancing Riyadh’s Infrastructure: Strategic Frameworks for Utility Monitoring, Demand, and Road Resurfacing Governance

Abdulrazaq Dhafer Alqarni Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center (RIPC) Senior Director of Planning Speaker

Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Moderator

Saud Fahad Bin Dawood Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center (RIPC) Senior Specialist Spatial Integration Speaker

#Best Practices, #Indicators, #Innovation Ecosystems

2025-11-04 10:15 2025-11-04 10:35 Europe/Madrid Advancing Riyadh’s Infrastructure: Strategic Frameworks for Utility Monitoring, Demand, and Road Resurfacing Governance

This dialogue session will discuss the theme of enhancing Riyadh’s urban infrastructure through two key initiatives: the Infrastructure Readiness Initiative—developing a strategic framework for utility coverage monitoring and city growth demand—and the Road Resurfacing Governance project, aimed at optimizing road maintenance, foster sustainability, avoid repetitive works, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to spending efficiency in road resurfacing works across the Riyadh Region.

Stage: Impact Tech

Tue 4 10:15h - 10:35h Stage: Impact Tech All Passes

11:05h

In Focus | SMART CITY EXPO

AI-Powered Cities: When Disruption Becomes Direction

Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Speaker

Esteve Almirall ESADE Full Professor Speaker

José Melo Bandeira Veolia Deputy CEO, Spain Speaker

Juan Corro Beseler Madrid City Council Manager of the Autonomous IT Agency at Madrid City Council Speaker

Kirk Arthur Microsoft Worldwide Government Solutions Lead Speaker

Regiane Relva Romano FACENS | VIP-Systems Head Smart City Moderator

#Algorithm Ethics, #Responsible AI, #Sustainable AI

2025-11-04 11:05 2025-11-04 11:55 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 - 11:55h Stage: Tech X Cities All Passes

15:30h

High-Level Roundtable | SMART CITY EXPO

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

Abdulaziz Aleid Ministry of Municipalities and Housing Senior Advisor of HE the Minister of Municipalities and Housing Speaker

Alberto Gago Fernandez Secretaría de Estado de Digitalización e Inteligencia Artificial Director, Digital Spain 2030 and International Relations Speaker

Atul Rajput Axis Communications Director, Channel Partners and End Customers, EMEA Speaker

Bogdan-Georgian Gavrilescu Urbio Romania Chief B2G Officer Speaker

Christina Yan Zhang The Metaverse Institute CEO Moderator

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