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Cities are places of opportunity: 80% of global GDP is created in cities, helping hundreds of millions lift themselves out of extreme poverty. Over recent decades, cities have become a magnet for talent, investment, and for youth seeking a prosperous future. 

The promise offered by cities is driving unprecedented population growth, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, 4 billion people - more than half the global population - live in cities. By 2030, two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities, and a third of the world’s population will be housed in cities with 1 million or more inhabitants. 

Rapid urbanization at this scale presents unparalleled challenges. The increasing population density, shocks from environmental pressures, growing infrastructure demands, and the increased expectations from residents and visitors to deliver services that improve their quality of life will all need to be met – at a sustainable cost.

To meet the needs of a rapidly growing, younger, digitally savvy population, we must push the frontier of our current thinking to create sustainable opportunities for our cities to function smarter than they do today. Smart technologies can be harnessed to create enabling environments for innovation, sustainable economic development, high standards of living, and the improvement of all aspects of community life.

The 2019 WBG Youth Summit provides a platform for youth around the world to contribute to global discussion and to actively learn how to develop a concept into a smart city solution. These solutions seek to address problems that lie at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, human development, and sustainable development for cities, which will impact the future of our youth and generations to come. 

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