A stellar line-up of experts is set to descend on Sunderland to explore how people will live, work and play in cities in the future.
Hosted at City Hall, and the start of Expo Sunderland – a programme of events that will showcase the transforming Riverside Sunderland quarter – the two-day invite-only showcase, Delivering Future Cities Forum, will see luminaries in fields comprising built environment, technology and education share insight on how cities will adapt and develop to respond to the changing needs of the people who use them.
Hosted by BBC Home Affairs Editor Mark Easton, the event will take place on October 17 and 18. More than 150 guests will hear from expert speakers including Ed Whiting, Director, Levelling Up – DLUHC, Peter Freeman, Chair – Homes England and Alan Lewis, Director Local Authority – Microsoft.
The Forum will provide a 360-degree view of regeneration, exploring the different facets of a city that contribute to creating a equitable, thriving and sustainable destination. The event is expected to attract business leaders from across the UK, keen to hear how Sunderland and its local, regional and national partners are approaching this very challenge.
Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming an exemplary line-up of contributors to this Forum, which will provide a rich and compelling exploration of how cities can and should function and the opportunities that will create for people to live, work and play in new and different ways.
“The event will bring together leaders who champion innovation, drive growth, challenge and share best practice in building the cities of our future and positions Sunderland as the exemplar it is – a place that is increasingly recognised nationally as leading the way when it comes to regeneration thanks to exceptional partnerships and collaborative working.”
The event is based around a number of themes including sustainable communities, smart cites, healthy homes and lifestyles and upskilling future talent, and will provide insight, inspiration and showcase best practice in strategic place-based regeneration, as well as demonstrating how effective partnerships across the regeneration ecosystem allow places and industry to thrive.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, dynamic city cabinet member, said the event will kick off a programme of events next year that will bring thousands of people into Riverside Sunderland to see – first hand – how the area is transforming and to answer the big question: how will we live in the homes and cities of the future?
He said: “Sunderland is undergoing seismic change – and this is creating a future city we can be proud of. This event is an opportunity to reflect on what we’re doing here and share that best practice with others, as well as to listen and learn from others.”
Expo Sunderland – which will centre around the city’s transforming Riverside Sunderland – provides a window on a changing world, showcasing how we will live, work and play in a more sustainable way, thanks to transformational tech and new innovation. Using the new community that is taking shape at Riverside as a backdrop, Expo will feature a large number of public events, as well as conferences and seminars that will see businesspeople, politicians and influencers descend on the city to see how the area will function, as the UK’s first carbon-neutral urban quarter.
The wider Expo programme comprises of a series of events and showcases from October 2023 – July 2025, including:
A programme of inspiring events and exhibitions, focused on Living Well and the Future of Work, open to the public as they rediscover a transformed Riverside Sunderland
A Future City Conference and innovation and tech showcases that will explore opportunities for businesses to support the drive towards a more sustainable future
A programme of events for the public and built environment professionals that will focus on future homes, gardens and interiors
A week-long Riverside Festival in July 2025, the culmination of Expo, with a vibrant programme of events and activities that showcase Sunderland’s new city scene.
To stay up to date with the Expo programme as it takes shape, visit www.exposunderland. com or follow @ExpoSunderland on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.