Expo City Dubai will host the Asia-Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors Forum 2025, marking the first time it will take place in the Middle East. The events will be held at the Dubai Exhibition Center from October 27 to 29, 2025, bringing together a broad spectrum of experts and leaders focusing on shaping the cities of the future and opportunities for business and investment in sustainable development. The summit, initiated by the Brisbane City Council in Australia, will welcome mayors, government leaders, policymakers, businesspeople, startups, youth, and esteemed academics from around the world, while the Expo Dubai team will organize programs and events related to the summit.
The Asia-Pacific Cities Summit was established by the Brisbane City Council 28 years ago and has involved over 600 cities to promote economic growth and cooperation. The summit is organized biennially, alternating between Brisbane and other cities, with previous hosts including Seattle, Chongqing, Incheon, Kaohsiung, and Daejeon. The 2023 summit in Brisbane showcased projects worth AUD 2.3 billion and attracted over 1,000 participants from 171 cities, including 118 mayors and deputy mayors, 180 speakers, and 78 exhibitors over three days.
