The Future of Community and Mobility Week
Human Centered Cities: Innovating for a Better Quality of Life
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Quality of Life Program seeks to host a business event (panel discussion) in the KSA pavilion at Expo Osaka to spotlight the Quality of Life Initiative as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives, which in its unique nature is a global initiative aiding in achieving not only the Kingdom’s goals but those of countries and cities worldwide. The event will also highlight the collaboration between KSA and Japan and their respective entities; the Quality of Life Program and Smart City Institute Japan.
Discussion
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | English |
-
Track Programme
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.05.15[Thu]
11:00 ～ 13:00
(Venue Open 10:30)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Saudi Arabia Pavilion
Programme details
In 2023 the Quality of Life Program of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia partnered with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) on the Quality of Life Initiative. The Initiative aims to provide policy makers with new knowledge to improve quality of life in their communities, through the use of a human centric globally relevant and locally applicable metric; the Quality of Life Index. Unlike typical indices, this initiative has built a tool which enables informed decision making and is made to measure progress, rather than ranking or comparing different countries and cities. Human well-being has been identified as one of the key transformative shifts needed to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Quality of Life Index will contribute by helping subnational governments in urban areas to achieve progress towards a prosperous and fulfilling life for individuals and communities, thus localizing the SDGs. The index was co-created through wide ranging consultations with experts and stakeholders around the world representing all eight SDG regions, and is aligned with the Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF) endorsed by the United Nations in 2022. One of the invaluable key stakeholders who contributed to the co-creation process is Smart City Institute Japan, who also sit on the initiative’s Quality Assurance Panel.
Reports
The Quality of Life Program Center hosted a high-level panel discussion at the KSA Pavilion during the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo to:
• Showcase the Global Quality of Life Initiative as part of Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing its global impact beyond the Kingdom
• Highlight the collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Japan, particularly the synergy between the Quality of Life Program Center and the Smart City Institute Japan
• Explore the innovative dual-layered approach of the Quality of Life Index, demonstrating its adaptability across diverse socio-cultural settings
• Discuss how the Initiative supports local implementation of the SDGs, contributing to more equitable and prosperous communities
• Examine the Liveable Well-Being City Indicator (LWCI) in Japan as a case study of human-centric urban planning and its alignment with the Quality of Life Initiative.
• Emphasize UN-Habitat’s role in the initiative, particularly in providing technical expertise, policy alignment, and global best practices for sustainable urban development.
• Facilitate discussions on global cooperation to advance human-centered urban development and sustainable growth
【Planned implementation and initiatives for the future society】
Jointly develop an “AI City Platform + Well-Being Indicator” framework to:
Improve policy design capabilities jointly between Saudi Arabia and Japan.
Devise digital twins that can simulate how smart city design would affect citizens’ well-being.
Cast
Speakers
Takehiko Nagumo
Co-founder and Representative Director of Smart City Institute Japan,
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Norah Alyusuf
Chief Global Engagement Officer, Quality of Life Program
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Kazuko Ishigaki
Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UN-Habitat
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The Future of Community and Mobility Week
Human Centered Cities: Innovating for a Better Quality of Life
The Quality of Life Program seeks to host a business event (panel discussion) in the KSA pavilion at Expo Osaka to spotlight the Quality of Life Initiative as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives, which in its unique nature is a global initiative aiding in achieving not only the Kingdom’s goals but those of countries and cities worldwide. The event will also highlight the collaboration between KSA and Japan and their respective entities; the Quality of Life Program and Smart City Institute Japan.
-
2025.05.15[Thu]
11:00～13:00
(Venue Open 10:30)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
OTHER PROGRAM
The Future of Community and Mobility Week
