ECONOMY

The city of Heraklion in recent years is strengthening the "ecosystem" of information and communications, accelerating its constant change into a pioneering smart city with a strong brandname. It is already on the list of the Intelligent Community Forum, an international organization based in New York, as one of the 21 smartest cities in the world for the last three years (2012-2014). The evaluation indicators are broadband connectivity, utilization of new technologies in the field of work, innovation, the use by citizens of new technologies in their daily lives and the actions of promoting the city in the face of international competition. In addition to these indicators, this year the ICF chose as the main topic of evaluation the impact of culture on the economic and social life of the city of Heraklion, the influence of cultural heritage on modern life, how culture affects the way of life of citizens and how strengthens "smart" initiatives in the city.