Annick Dalmagne presents the Digital Symposium

Annick Dalmagne, Director of the Pays Basque Agency for New Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) based in Izarbel, is preparing the eighth Digital Symposium which will be held in Bayonne on Tuesday 4 July. Interview.

What is the theme of the upcoming Digital Symposium that ANTIC is organising for the eighth time?

We will be talking about smart cities but from the public’s perspective. While the ‘smart citizens’ topic has, of course, already been addressed in major cities, this is a first in the Basque Country. The idea is to show that medium-sized authorities can develop digital systems by involving the public in decision-making.

When you say ‘decision-making’, do you mean through participatory democracy tools or the gathering and use of mass data?

Both subjects will be covered, but mass data is a more recent topic and one which is becoming increasingly present. Dialogue applications are changing the way in which the public and local authorities communicate by creating a direct, immediate and interactive link. A certain amount of data is now generated by the public voluntarily or otherwise. This data is not just for political consultation; it is also used in resource management. A good example of this is the study of water consumption in a city that indicates notably the presence of holiday-makers and allows the town to adapt its refuse collection services accordingly.

Are the operations and costs involved in mass data gathering, storing and use not too onerous for local authorities?

That’s why there are large groups, SMEs and start-ups offering services to support authorities. At a local level, the Izarbel-based start-up Setavoohas developed the PopVox and InfoPlages applications which it will be presenting at the upcoming Digital Symposium.

Also at a local level, the Nobatek centrebased at the Arkinova site will present its MIUSEEC project which is aimed at energy optimisation in buildings through the involvement of their users.  

Who is the Digital Symposium aimed at?

The event is open to anyone interested in reshaping urban living through digital technology, but the Symposiums are primarily intended for local representatives, local authority directors and heads of department, business leaders and ICT service providers interested in innovation in the city. To participate, you just need to pre-register on ANTIC's website. We’re expecting some 200 attendees, and for ANTIC, this eighth Digital Symposium will also see the launch of an experiment with local and regional authorities that want to engage in the Smart City/Smart Citizens approach.

Information, programme details and registration: www.antic-paysbasque.com/les-rencontres-numeriques/edition-2017/