The event has been launched in response to the growing complexities and broad spectrum of threats that urban governments, agencies and key municipal leaders1 face when managing critical situations of national importance.

The Safe Cities Conference & Exhibition is strategically co-located with UBM’s leading international events and conference portfolio: Ifsec International, FIREX International, IOSH Conference & Exhibition, Safety and Health and Facilities Management. These leading international events attract over 45,000 visitors that already include key Safe Cities technology providers, decision makers and partners. Business Continuity will also be a major element of the conference, which has a strong appeal to the commercial sector, senior business leaders and civil resilience.

According to Frost & Sullivan, one of the top five ‘mega trends’ for the next 10 years in the aerospace, defence & security sectors will be the rise of Safe Cities. UBM has recognised this through continued research and developed an event programme alongside market experts of senior UK and global government advisors, who have a clear view on the real time multi agency challenges and approaches that are faced.

Safe Cities will provide all stakeholders who play a key role in managing and protecting cities with access to over 100 specialist exhibitors and access to a further 800 relevant technology and solutions providers across the co-located events. Some 4,000 dedicated international decision and policy makers are expected to attend. There will be a specialised keynote theatre and VIP networking opportunities for attendees, plus interactive workshops, panel discussions, standalone presentations and international case studies, city and facility tours with live technology and product demonstrations.

Visitors expected to attend this conference and event will be from city authorities including: mayors’ offices, city councils, police, transport authorities, fire & emergency planning authorities, first responders; central government departments: Home Office, Home Affairs, Justice, Department for Homeland Security, offices for security & counter-terrorism; International: City mayors, police & fire chiefs, transport security, Ministry of Interior and private sector interested parties from arenas such as corporate, banking, critical national infrastructure security.

"Safe Cities will build a platform for the future development within this strategically critical space. Market niches in public safety spaces such as Counter Terrorism, Cyber Security and Emergency Service can no longer work as isolated fixes for public safety. Public budget constraints and technological approaches will no longer allow these niches to occur in siloed approaches,” said, Charlie Cracknell, Event Director.

“Safe Cities is an event that is fit for its time. It will serve the interest of the whole industry by bringing together leading stakeholders and technology providers to raise the agenda of how to improve public safety. Authorities and the private sector are under increasing pressure to collaborate through technology and strategy, increase working and budgetary efficiencies, as well as, preparing against the ever increasing threats of cyber attacks, terrorism and natural disasters,” he continued.