Utrecht can measure itself against San Francisco and Nairobi
San Francisco, Kuala Lumpur, Nairobi – these are global cities that Utrecht can now measure itself against since this week. The Domstad has been selected for the World Economic Forum's (WEF) new Pioneering Places Programme. Utrecht is seen as a pioneer in innovative solutions to urban challenges, partly due to its “healthy” Cartesius neighbourhood.
The official launch of the one-year Pioneering Places programme took place on 21 October during the Urban Transformation Summit in San Francisco. Michiel Dijkman, director of Economic Board Utrecht, attended on behalf of Utrecht. Economic Board Utrecht is a partnership between businesses, knowledge institutions and government bodies aimed at stimulating the economy in the Utrecht region.
Cartesius
Together with Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Medellín (Colombia), Montréal (Canada), Nairobi (Kenya) and San Francisco (United States), Utrecht forms a group of six cities that, according to the WEF, serve as role models. They are at the forefront of solutions to universal urban challenges, such as problems with housing, infrastructure and health.
Utrecht was selected as the “Heart of Health” because of the latter theme; the designation given to the region by the Economic Board Utrecht. An important reason for this is the Cartesius district, located around the CAB building near Zuilen station. Construction of the district began in 2021 and is still ongoing, but part of it has been inhabited since 2023.
Blue Zones
It is a “special neighbourhood”, says Onno Dwars, director of area developer Ballast. Not only because it will contain some 3,500 homes on less than 25 hectares, but also because it has a unique goal: residents of Cartesius should be able to live five years longer on average than residents of other neighbourhoods in Utrecht. That mission is being monitored by a ten-year study conducted by UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University and Utrecht University of Applied Sciences.
Cartesius is inspired by the so-called Blue Zones: areas where people live longer than average, partly thanks to their lifestyle and environment, such as on the Japanese island of Okinawa or in Sardinia, Italy. Elements from these zones are also being applied in Utrecht, such as facilities for exercise and healthy eating, the presence of animals and a “community manager” who encourages social connection.
Utrecht on the international map
Partly because of this concept, Utrecht is now eligible to participate in the WEF's Pioneering Places Programme. Over the next twelve months, the participating cities will exchange experiences at international meetings and share their ideas with other cities.
But how did a “small city” like Utrecht (by comparison, Nairobi, the largest of the six cities, will be almost thirteen times larger in 2024 with 4.8 million inhabitants) end up on the World Economic Forum's radar? “Utrecht was approached during the summer holidays. The WEF saw many positive developments happening,” says Michiel Dijkman from the United States.
According to Dijkman, there are several factors that have put Utrecht on the international map. For example, at the end of 2024, the Overvecht neighbourhood was selected for the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, in which researchers from the prestigious Harvard University contribute ideas about the future of young people in the neighbourhood.
He also believes that innovative projects such as the car-free Merwedekanaal zone and the close collaboration between government, business and knowledge institutions in Utrecht have made an impression.
World Health Organisation
Furthermore, Dijkman explains that the WEF is interested in the fact that the Cartesius mission is also being researched. This means that if the concept works, it can be replicated in other cities.
The research was not initially part of the plan, but knowledge institutions involved in Cartesius pointed out that the “five years longer life” claim should be investigated. Professor Roel Vermeulen (Utrecht University) is now leading the research.
After a visit by those involved, including Michiel Dijkman, the World Health Organisation (WHO) was so intrigued that Cartesius was selected as one of its ten pilot regions worldwide. The WHO is now also investigating how healthy Cartesius is. ‘All of this has had a snowball effect on our international reputation,’ says Dijkman.
What does Utrecht gain from this?
An important question is: what does Utrecht itself gain from these international collaborations? ‘First and foremost, recognition, of course,’ says Dijkman. ‘We are putting Utrecht on the map with the image we want: “Heart of Health”.’
He also emphasises that Utrecht has been named the most competitive region out of 232 European regions by the European Commission. ‘We have been in the top five for fifteen years, but almost no one knows that we are doing so well. The mayor sometimes says: “Utrecht should be a little less modest”. We are now actively trying to change that by establishing more international contacts.’
According to him, international visibility helps to attract European funding, attract knowledge and strengthen the regional economy. 'There are regions that are further ahead economically, but the balance between well-being and prosperity is very good here. That's why we score so high. And if a neighbourhood like Cartesiuswijk really works, we can also sell that concept internationally.'
Inspired by other countries
During the summit in San Francisco, Dijkman spoke with politicians, including a councillor from Washington DC and the deputy governor of the Argentine province of Buenos Aires. He also participated in panels, discussions and signing ceremonies. ‘It's inspiring, you learn from it, and you take that back with you to Utrecht.’
He also listened to examples from other cities, such as Kuala Lumpur and San Francisco, which are doing well in the field of circular economy. ‘That could also be interesting for Utrecht.’
The summit lasted until Thursday 23 October, after which Dijkman returned home feeling proud. ‘It's quite special to be mentioned in the same breath as Montréal or San Francisco.’ Now it's a matter of waiting to see what the rest of the year brings.
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1971 that brings together public and private leaders (including entrepreneurs, politicians and academics) to tackle global challenges. The forum is best known for its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
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Wonderwoods in the spotlight for choosing tropical timber
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Utrecht selected for Pioneering Places Programme
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