A new educational project called "Urban Marathon" has been launched in Bishkek. This initiative, implemented within the framework of Urban Space, aims to support sustainable development and actively engage youth in the process of shaping modern urban spaces. The organizers are the Public Fund "Sustainable Development Initiatives" (SDI) in collaboration with the Bishkek City Hall and Global Greengrants Fund.
During the second day of training, participants were introduced to the topic of digitalization in urban management. The lecture was given by Pavel Loran, head of the INTEGRA CITY group of companies in Central Asia, who shared his thoughts on "Digital solutions as a driver of smart cities."
According to him, the level of urbanization in Kyrgyzstan has already reached 42%, creating a need for new management approaches. A modern city should become a space where technology, data, and people work together to improve the quality of life.
Loran also presented the Smart City concept, covering aspects such as transportation, energy, ecology, security, digital services, and infrastructure. He mentioned examples of cities like Singapore, Moscow, London, Beijing, and Shanghai, where artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are actively used to enhance urban life efficiency.
In his opinion, Kyrgyzstan is already taking its first steps toward creating "smart" cities—modern traffic lights, smart parking, meters, and surveillance systems are being implemented. However, the main obstacle remains insufficient integration between various systems and services.
As a solution to this problem, Loran proposed creating a unified digital platform for city management that would integrate transportation, utility, and administrative infrastructure into a single ecosystem. This would help respond more quickly to emerging issues and improve management.
"A smart city is not just about technology, but about comfort, safety, and the quality of life for people. Kyrgyzstan has the potential to become an example of sustainable digital development," concluded Pavel Loran.
Danil Tsoy, president of the SDI fund, added that the "Urban Marathon" provides youth with the opportunity not only to familiarize themselves with digital trends but also to develop their own innovative projects for Bishkek.
More than 80 students and young professionals are participating in the project, who will work on their urban initiatives until November 22, when the final ceremony and awards for the best ideas will take place.
