Art. Emotion. Connectivity. Masterpiece. Human. Innovation.
The above six words defined the grandeur of the opening ceremony of the 2019 edition of the Global Public Transport Summit organized by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). With the theme, ‘The Art of Public Transport’, the opening day of the summit was a treat for all transport mobility professionals who are working towards crafting ‘the perfect urban journey’.
The 4-day exciting conference which is being held from 9th-12th June 2019 is being held in Stockholm at the Stockholmsmässan in Sweden. The conference comprises of who’s who of the transport mobility community inclusive of professionals from end-user segments, celebrity keynote speakers, solution providers, data science community, etc. The forum features a large-scale conference setup and exhibitions, high-level discussion programs and a multitude of social networking events. The conference has attracted 2500+ high-level delegates, 300+ speakers and 80+ countries to cover all urban and regional modes of transportation across the globe through innovative solutions and products.
Alluring Inauguration
Pere Calvet, UITP President, inaugurated the Global Public Transport Summit with full enthusiasm. Pere emphasized on Stockholm is the world’s hottest technology and innovation hubs offering one of the best corporate climates for international investors. An impressive number of massive infrastructure projects are scheduled, including an expansion of the metro system, the East Coast Line railway project, extensions to terminals at Arlanda Airport, and the Stockholm Bypass motorway link. ‘In many ways, Stockholm’s mobility system and public transport network is an example. It integrates transport and urban planning, with the clear aim to reduce car use’, Pere Calvet highlighted in his introductory speech.
Mr. Alwalid Alekrish, Deputy CEO for Programs and Projects of Riyadh Development Authority provided detailed information about the Riyadh Transit Network which is a city-wide fully integrated transport system to transform Riyadh into one of the most liveable cities of the world. The goal of the Riyadh Development Authority is to connect the communities to their cities, people to places and places to people fulfilling Vision 2030 of the country.
Enthralling Keynote
“The gateway drug for a public transport obsession is a train set.” ~ Christoph Neiman
Artist, Author, Animator, Christoph Niemann (Twitter: @abstractsunday) took the centre stage at the opening ceremony to inspire mobility in you and me, alike. One of the most innovative keynotes I have heard till date; Christoph’s keynote was storytelling for all generations. 
From making bathroom tiles designed as New York subway map to ranking public transport scores of all Marvel movies, the talk was inspiring if nothing else. The talk was complete with strokes of art encapsulating real-life stories inspiring people to explore public transport, ‘When I travel, I love to take public transport because it gives you the sense of exploring the city and making the city yours.’ In an interesting way, Christoph stressed the importance of maps and its numerous possibilities, ‘When I look at a map – I see a possibility. Transit network maps are the reason why people love public transports, giving them the opportunity to really own the city.’
The opening ceremony focussed majorly on developing a sustainable public transport system. In short, the conference emphasized that the Art of Public Transport is a ‘state of mind’ and not about going from Point A to Point B but to build a memorable experience for the public when they are travelling.
And yes, what would a conference in Stockholm be if not for a live performance of the famous song ‘Waterloo’ by the ABBA Museum choir. A truly bang on opening ceremony. Let’s wait and watch to see what do the next three days have in store for us.
Stay tuned as we bring to you the latest update from the Global Public Transport Summit 2019.
