While the global COVID-19 pandemic is ebbing with most of the countries reopening the borders, 2022 has continued to be a worrying time with more wicked development challenges that city leaders have to make difficult choices, or usually lack of options to respond to.

Upon 3 years of pandemic turmoils and social-distancing policies, cities face, for example, unprecedented city development challenges with the accumulated fiscal and monetary burdens. While more (young) workforces are being pushed to flexible employment as many SMEs and industries execute the cut plans, some cities face challenges maintaining attractiveness in maintaining talents, losing cultures and hence, economic competitiveness.

The panel discussion session “Global Economic Outlook Dialogue – Post-Pandemic Society, Gray Rhinos and What Slows Cities Down From Growing?” gathers voices from city agencies: policy think tanks, placemaking agencies, semi-government representatives and civil societies to discuss the issue and identify key factors that public sectors shall actively co-create private sector or public-private collaboration options to reignite the cities’ momentum.