{"id":22690,"date":"2022-12-06T13:10:34","date_gmt":"2022-12-06T12:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sustainable-bus.com\/?p=22690"},"modified":"2022-12-06T13:10:36","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T12:10:36","slug":"uitp-global-public-transport-summit-barcelona-2023-mohamed-mezghani-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sustainable-bus.com\/events-public-transport\/uitp-global-public-transport-summit-barcelona-2023-mohamed-mezghani-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Towards UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2023 in Barcelona (with 80% space sold). Interview with Mohamed Mezghani"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The next UITP Global Public Transport Summit<\/strong> is quickly approaching. We are just six months away from the kickoff, scheduled for 4th June in Barcelona, Spain. UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani <\/strong>shares with Sustainable Bus state of the art of the preparation for the summit, main topics, expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our exhibition has crossed the 80% space sold by the close of November, and is well on track to sell the remaining space at speed. There will be more than 300 speakers in our Congress, over 15000 visitors can be expected across three days, and all of this activity will covered by upwards of 150 international press and media representatives<\/p>Mohamed Mezghani, UITP Secretary General<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Mohamed, the UITP Global Public Transport Summit is heading to Barcelona next year (4-7 June) for the 2023 edition. What can you tell us about the planning and organising at this stage?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u00abIt\u2019s an exciting time at UITP, that\u2019s for sure! When we\u2019re in the planning stage<\/strong> of the UITP Global Summit, there\u2019s an extra amount of energy around. It\u2019s a huge undertaking to bring an event of this size and prestige to the stage. There won\u2019t be a member of the UITP team who won\u2019t make a contribution to the Summit, and our dedicated team are led by a group made up of colleagues from each department to best coordinate our efforts and planning. There\u2019s a lot of ideas flowing, and solid plans being made, and I am more than confident that we are on schedule to bring you an edition to remember. We are of course also working closely with the three local partners, who are wonderful partners for UITP, and their enthusiasm for welcoming the sector to Barcelona is evident. The road to Barcelona is set, and I\u2019m excited and confident that we\u2019re well on track\u00bb.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Mohamed Mezghani on UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What can you share with us about the programme and exhibition at this stage? Do you have any news to share on the topics?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00abOur programme is coming together at an impressive speed. You know it takes a lot of focus and consideration to put together a Congress programme for a global Summit. UITP is focused on all modes and all topics across public transport, and when hosting an event that brings the entire sector together, we need to make sure that we\u2019re covering the whole gambit of the conversations taking place. As the Summit has a truly global dimension to it, it attracts name and faces from across the globe eager to participate. UITP brings together all sector stakeholders, and that is on full display at each Summit. It may sound like a cliche to say there\u2019s something for everyone, but there truly is a topic, a session, a direction for every interest. Right now, we have developed a focus built around two pillars – Cities and People<\/strong>. And from that, we are defining the tracks underneath those pillars that will present individual focus and topics. We know that public transport defines our cities<\/strong>, and we also know that is should always be for the people who work in it, and who use it. By determining a direction from those two pillars we are really going to have a programme that is relevant, is informative, and crucially, will help move the needle on what the sector should be talking about going forward. There is a lot of expectation around the conversations that will take place during the Summit, as people are looking for answers to their concerns; ready to share priorities with one another, and keen to observe the latest developments. That means there is a challenge to create a programme fit for the current climate, and one that covers both public transport fundamentals, but also current trends and issues such as the energy crisis, the impact of inflation, staff shortages, and more. For our exhibition, we are also well on track to fill more halls, and offer more space then ever before. The exhibition is a phenomenal showcase of recognisable names and faces from across the sector, all around the world. You can see modes on display, you can new apps being presented. And all of it led by those who have brought it all to the Summit. It really is something to see\u00bb.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2023 edition theme is set as \u201cBright Light of the City\u201d. Can you expand for our readers the thinking behind that approach?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n