“The road to barcelona is set, and I’m excited and confident that we’re well on track”, says Mohamed Mezghani, the secretary general of UITP – the International Association of Public Transport.

From June 4th to 7th, the Global Public Transport Summit is being held in the Catalonian capital. Right now, the event is in its planning stage, which leads to a unique kind of energy among the team:

“There’s a lot of ideas flowing and solid plans are being made. I am more than confident that we are on schedule to bring you an edition of UITP worth remembering”, Mezghani enthuses.

Summit programme

As the summit has taken on a truly global dimension, it attracts names and faces from across the globe eager to participate. UITP therefore brings together stakeholders from all sectors of public transport and aims to offer topics, sessions and directions for every field of interest.

“We know that public transport defines our cities, and we also know that it should always be for the people who work in it, and who use it. By determining a direction from those two pillars, we are really going to have a programme that is relevant, informative, and will help move the needle on what the sector should be talking about going forward”, states Mohamed Mezghani from UITP.

The challenge lies within finding a programme that combines conversation about public transport fundamentals as well as current trends and issues, such as the ongoing energy crisis, the impact of inflation and staff shortages.

Bright light of the city

This years Global Summit will be all about the “bright light of the city”, reflecting the function of public transport as a navigator for workers and visitors around the city.

As a city with a renowned system of public transport, Barcelona is the ideal candidate to host such an event as the Global Summit – and lead visiting countries by example.

The first Summit since Stockholm in 2019

Regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mezghani said: “Public transport is certainly by no means the only sector impacted by the global pandemic. It was, unfortunately, badly impacted with ridership and finances hit since COVID began. These have been tough times.”

“Now that we are in a position to put into practice the best ways to rebuild, and reposition ourselves for the future, hosting the Global Summit gives us the opportunity to drive forward a direction fit for that future. Public transport has changed, and as we work on the Barcelona programme, and listen to the views of our Committees, Boards and Working Bodies and Groups, we know that it’s a crucial time to put fresh ideas into place, and come out the other side stronger and best positioned for tomorrow”, he adds.

Importance of the UITP Summit

With the Summit dating back alle the way to 1886, Mezghani had no difficulties finding words to express its importance:

“It is valued and valuable. It has been organised for more than 135 years! It’s part of the life of public transport and mobility professionals, but also attracts more and more policy makers. I often hear from our members that it is the highlight of their calendar, and for many the jewel in the crown of urban mobility gatherings. It is not by accident that we welcome hundreds of exhibitors, speakers, thousands of delegates, and tens of thousands of visitors across three days. It’s the defining event in public transport and with the many networking and social events, alongside detailed technical visits, the UITP Summit is the place to be when it is in town!”

What can we expect from the Summit?

The UITP Summit will offer a massive venue full of energy and excitement, packed with exhibitors, speakers and delegates. There will be more than 300 speakers at the summit, 15,000 visitors are to be expected across the three days and more than 150 media representatives will cover the event.

“An Inspiring Experience”

is how Mezghani would describe the summit in three words. He hopes it’s one many people want to discover for themselves.