Daejeon mayor announces host of 2nd GINI General Assembly

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo officially announced that the 2nd General Assembly of the Global Innopolis Network Initiative will be held in Malaga, Spain, in 2026.

The announcement was made Monday during a joint press briefing at Malaga City Hall with Malaga Mayor Francisco de la Torre.

Launched by Daejeon and four global cities including Dortmund and Malaga in 2024, GINI is a collaboration platform that aims to promote economic development and urban innovation through science and technology.

Mayor Lee, who chairs the GINI, emphasized the growing role of GINI as a results-oriented international organization. The upcoming assembly will be held in conjunction with Transfiere, Europe’s largest research and development event, which marks its 15th anniversary next year.

Ahead of the press event, the two mayors held a bilateral meeting to explore ways to strengthen cooperation not only in science and economy but in culture and the arts as well. The leaders agreed to expand exchanges between the cities, laying the groundwork for deeper collaboration.

In a business forum hosted by Promalaga, officials and entrepreneurs from both cities discussed partnerships in smart cities, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Hanbat National University and the University of Malaga also signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate joint research and academic cooperation. Additionally, KAIST and the University of Malaga are exploring collaboration in AI semiconductor technologies.

Mayor de la Torre expressed his honor at hosting the assembly, stressing the importance of global cooperation to solve urban challenges and improve citizens’ lives. He also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening ties with Daejeon and the GINI alliance.

Mayor Lee noted that the 2026 assembly will be a defining moment for GINI to become a leading global platform for science and economic cooperation. He added that Daejeon, home to South Korea’s major national research institutes, is committed to deepening international collaboration with fellow innovation cities.