One of the smartest places on earth - again

Mayor Annette Main is delighted Whanganui has again been selected as one of the 21 most intelligent communities in the world.

Whanganui was announced as a Smart21 Intelligent Community 2016 on Thursday, October 22 by the Intelligent Community Forum, an international think-tank which helps communities adapt to the demands of the broadband economy. This is the fourth time Whanganui has made the list.

The theme for 2016 is ‘From Revolution to Renaissance’, which focuses on how Intelligent Communities are planning their future at a time when the economy, the environment and urban and rural life are undergoing dramatic change.

“Our district has been selected because we were one of the first communities in New Zealand to complete an ultrafast broadband build. We have also been recognised by the Intelligent Community Forum for our collaboration with other areas of our region to drive the future roll-out of broadband infrastructure in rural areas.

“We are working with businesses in our community to ensure they have the services they need to do business with the world and are working in partnership with educational institutes to make sure the leaders of our future have the tools they need to succeed.

“All of these projects are helping Whanganui lead the way and making sure our people thrive in digitally-based world.

“Being a Smart21 Intelligent Community isn’t just about material wealth or about how much technology we have, but about how well we use broadband and technology to improve the quality of life for everyone who chooses to live and do business here.

“This recognition is an absolutely outstanding accomplishment for our district. We have been recognised alongside much larger and well known places in the world. It is a validation of the hard work our district has undertaken over a number of years to ensure that Whanganui is connected to the world.”

The other Smart21 Intelligent Communities 2016 are:

Armidale (New South Wales, Australia), Brabantse (Kempen Region, The Netherlands), Hamilton (Ontario, Canada), Hsinchu County (Taiwan), Ipswich (Queensland, Australia), Jönköping (Sweden), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Lambton County (Ontario, Canada), Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada), Marlborough (Massachusetts, USA), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany), New Taipei City (Taiwan), Oshawa, (Ontario, Canada), Ottawa, (Ontario, Canada), San Diego, (California, USA), Surrey (British Columbia, Canada), Taitung County (Taiwan), Taoyuan (Taiwan) and Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada).

Whanganui is now in the running to become one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities, which will be announced in February 2016.

ENDS

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