Vienna in the spotlight at the World Cities Summit in Singapore

The President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament, Ernst Woller, presented Vienna's strengths as a smart and liveable city at an international conference.

The World Cities Summit 2024, held in Singapore from 2 to 4 June, brought together mayors and high-level representatives from 96 cities.

Under the theme "Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Rejuvenate, Reinvent, Reimagine", a delegation from Vienna, led by the President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament, Ernst Woller, attended the conference and exchanged best practices with international participants on how to create liveable, vibrant and sustainable urban communities and tackle urgent urban challenges.

"International cooperation is essential for the further development of our cities. Vienna is proud to be a pioneer in many areas and wants to share our knowledge and learn from the experiences and innovations of other cities. Especially in the field of social housing, Vienna and Singapore, despite their different systems, are international role models that show how well-designed and sustainable solutions can improve the lives of residents", said Ernst Woller, President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament.

Vienna won the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2020

Vienna presented at the conference topics such as services of general interest, social housing and sustainable urban development with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2040. As the city with the highest quality of life, there is great international interest in Vienna's solutions to various crises. This approach was recognised by the Republic of Singapore in 2022 and Vienna was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2020. The jury was particularly impressed by Vienna's combination of history and modernity. The city builds on its strong cultural and historical foundations, while modern innovations make it a sustainable and liveable metropolis. The fact that the people of Vienna can actively participate in the development of their city was praised, as was the long tradition of general interest services and the high quality of services for all residents.

Mayor Michael Ludwig accepted the prestigious award two years ago. Other winners include Seoul, Medellín, Suzhou, New York City, Bilbao and, since 2024, Mexico City. The award is named after Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who was of great importance to Singapore's development into the metropolis and green garden city it is known for today.

WCS Mayors Forum 2025 in Vienna

The World Cities Summit is held in Singapore every two years. In the meantime, the winning cities of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize organise the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum. The international summit with around 50 mayors and other high-level representatives will take place in Vienna in 2025 under the theme "Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Local Solutions, Global Impact" and emphasises Vienna's role as an international metropolis for congresses and intercultural exchange.