The Sunshine Coast has missed out on being awarded the world’s most Intelligent Community, with Taoyuan, Taiwan taking out the top position at the awards ceremony in New York.
Mayor Mark Jamieson joined representatives from around the globe on stage as one of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2019, as rated by the global Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).
Achieving this award from a pool of hundreds of submissions, the Sunshine Coast was the only Australian city – and the only location in the southern hemisphere – named in this year’s Top7.
While Taoyuan, Taiwan took out the top position, Mayor Jamieson said it was an amazing accolade for the Sunshine Coast to be recognised as one of the world’s top 7 intelligent communities.
“Congratulations to Taoyuan. We wish them the very best in the future,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“The competition was very strong, and it really demonstrated the efforts that cities and their administrations around the globe are making to ensure their residents are better placed to take advantage of, and benefit from, the digital age as part of their economic, social and environmental agendas.
“I certainly feel that the Sunshine Coast performed brilliantly and at the end of the day, as the founder of the ICF has indicated to me, being in the Top7 is an absolute achievement and a winning position in itself.
“This recognition is due to the efforts of many people from across our region and highlights the importance of having clear, achievable plans in place for our economic prosperity, community wellbeing and environment and liveability and the right policy settings that enable entrepreneurs to do what they do best – innovate, create, collaborate and generate new ideas,” Mayor Jamieson said from New York.
“The response I received from the Forum when presenting the Sunshine Coast’s credentials, ably assisted by Sandra Arico from Helimods and Mark Paddenburg from the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast, was incredibly inspiring and I have no doubt we will feature strongly in the Top7 again in future years.”
Mayor Jamieson said being nominated in the Top7 2019 world’s most Intelligent Community demonstrates the Sunshine Coast is being recognised as an international leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and sustainable energy solutions.
