BTK President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, speaking at the Smart City Meetup/Smart City Ecosystem Meeting, said, “Every smart city should have trained SOME teams against possible cyber attacks and their adverse consequences. Not knowing how to respond to attacks can lead to great chaos and halt the normal flow of city life.”
The Smart City Ecosystem Meeting, organized in collaboration with the Public Technology Platform and BTK, was hosted by BTK. Participants included BTK Board Member Figen Kılıç, Chairman of the Public Technologies Platform Board Erdem Akçıl, Endeavor Türkiye Entrepreneur Services Director Semih Kalvo, and representatives from the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector.
BTK IS AT THE MOST CRITICAL JUNCTURES OF ALL TOPICS RELATED TO SMART CITIES
Speaking at the opening of the Smart City Ecosystem Meeting, Sayan stated: “The duties and powers we possess as the Information Technologies and Communication Authority place us at the most critical cornerstones of all matters related to smart cities. So much so that, from urban transformation to the widespread adoption of fiber optics in homes, from the infrastructure reference document prepared by our institution to the specification for in-building communication networks, many issues fall within our scope of interest.”
THE PATH OF INTELLIGENCE PASSES THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
Stating that a smart city is one with intelligent infrastructure that effectively utilizes its resources, Sayan said, “The path of that intelligence passes through information and communication technologies, good planning, good analysis, and tight coordination. In today's world, information and communication technologies developing at a dizzying speed are creating extremely important changes in economic and social life, generating new opportunities and possibilities for individuals and states, and forming the backbone of the information society and digital economy. The information and communication technologies sector, in addition to being a sector in its own right, has become the main actor in development and growth in other sectors, turning into the most important sector of the digital transformation era. We can see one of the results of this transformation by the addition of the word 'smart' to the concepts, terminology, devices, and even the environments we live in: smart phones, smart televisions, watches, smart transportation systems in buildings, and ultimately smart cities.”
SMART CITY APPLICATIONS ARE GAINING IMPORTANCE DAY BY DAY
Reminding that “Smart City” applications, which aim to solve problems in city life and improve the quality of life for citizens in cities, are gaining importance day by day, Sayan said, “For a city to earn the title of smart city, problems must be solved using information and communication technologies, and these solutions must be adopted and used by the city residents as a way of life. When we think of a smart city, it comes to mind that the city determines its own needs, takes the necessary steps to realize its demands in this direction, and behaves almost like a living being. In other words, what is intended with the concept of smart cities is actually everything monitoring itself, repairing itself, and producing the most appropriate solution. Many cities around the world are rapidly implementing different solutions in this regard.”
EVERY SMART CITY SHOULD HAVE SOME TEAMS
Emphasizing that as BTK, they are aware of the need to prioritize cyber security in cities advancing towards smartness, Sayan said, “Just as cities have preventive measures and emergency plans against natural disasters like floods and earthquakes, smart strategies must be developed for protection against cyber attacks and plans must be implemented accordingly. In this context, the security of smart city applications should start from the establishment phase of the systems. Additionally, every smart city should have trained SOME teams against possible cyber attacks and their adverse consequences. Not knowing how to respond to attacks can lead to great chaos and halt the normal flow of city life. Therefore, serious cyber security strategies must be established for cities. Security measures should be continuously updated and audited. In other words, those who want to protect against attacks must always be a few steps ahead of the pirates.”
WE SHOULD EMBED OUR HEART CIVILIZATION INTO SMART CITY CONCEPTS
Reminding in his speech that we are people of the civilization of the heart, Sayan said, “Our essence is kneaded with love. From Hacı Bayram to Hacı Bektaş Veli, from Yunus Emre to Mevlânâ, those who laid our foundation are men of the heart. Therefore, I think we need to keep this profile in mind while working on the concepts of 'Smart Cities.' If a soul is to be added to the digital-cyber world, it is very clear that it needs people of the heart city as much as people of the mind city. I believe this potential exists within our nation.”
Sayan concluded his speech by greeting everyone who aims to transform Turkey's and the world's cities into smart cities hand in hand.