In his main address, Dawood Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, discussed the emirate’s efforts to build a future that puts human beings and their happiness at the forefront through urban planning. He highlighted the special efforts made to provide the people of determination with better access to public places, create safer playing areas for children, and isolate noise and lights in residential units, as well as design more green areas. Efforts in that direction are already taking place in new projects where the “walkability” factor has been enhanced urging residents to walk rather than use transportation. “Urban planning carries the answer to many of our city’s challenges,” Al Hajri said, before he described how Dubai Urban Plan 2040 aims to focus on a building a green, sustainable and smart future across Dubai. He pinpointed that this wouldn’t be possible without employing the latest technologies of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data.