SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: Corey Gray at LiveableCitiesX 2025
We’re excited to highlight Corey Gray, President & CEO of the Smart Cities Council, who will take the stage at LiveableCitiesX 2025 on the Gold Stage, Al Multaqua Ballroom – Dubai World Trade Centre, 25–26 November.
Following our first announcement, we are thrilled to share more about the powerful message Corey will be bringing to Dubai.
As cities race toward digital transformation, Corey reminds us of a critical truth: Smart cities must have soul.
In his session “Creative Urbanism & Crafting Identity”, Corey will explore how the next generation of city design must shift from simply building efficient systems to creating regenerative, equitable and people-first urban environments.
He will unpack how healthspan, belonging, identity, cultural memory and community expression are no longer “nice-to-have” they are essential infrastructure for better living.
Key themes Corey will explore:
• Healthspan as a Smart City Metric: success defined not by lifespan, but by how well we live.
• Culture as Infrastructure: art, architecture, heritage and creativity as engines of belonging.
• Urban Narrative & Placemaking: the stories that shape safety, trust and civic pride.
• Beauty, Safety & Social Cohesion: why meaningful places matter now more than ever.
• Balancing Progress with Identity: embracing innovation without losing what makes a city home.
Cities aren’t just systems they are emotional landscapes, where human stories unfold.
Join us as Corey leads this global dialogue on how cities can become not only smarter, but more human, connected and alive.
Moderator: Corey Gray
Speakers from: ACCIONA Living & Culture, Zaha Hadid Architects, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, AI DCT / AIVP / AlphaFin
25–26 November 2025
Gold Stage, Al Multaqua Ballroom – Dubai World Trade Centre
Delegate passes available now https://events.smartcitiescouncil.com/LiveableCitiesX
Or contact karen.norden@smartcitiescouncil.com to learn more or express your interest.
#LiveableCitiesX #SmartCitiesCouncil #CityLeadership #UrbanInnovation #Placemaking #FutureOfCities #CultureAsInfrastructure #Healthspan #DesignForBelonging #GlobalCitiesSharedFutures
For more information on Smart Cities Council programs:
