Heidelberg is the centre of life for about 160,000 people. It is the fifth-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and ranks 50th amongst the most populous cities in Germany. Heidelberg is a beacon of science and medicine in Germany thanks in large part to Heidelberg University, Germany’s oldest and one of the most reputable universities nationwide. The city is known for its innovation and is home to a vibrant start-up scene. Because of its cultural diversity, the city attracts families, students, entrepreneurs, tourists, and creative minds from all over the world. According to the national newspaper WirtschaftsWoche, Heidelberg was the most family-oriented city in Germany in 2022.

On its continuous path to becoming a Smart Sustainable City, Heidelberg has set itself the overarching goal of achieving carbon neutrality by the end of 2030. Additionally, a climate action group has been formed consisting of key social and economic stakeholders and the city council – which resulted in about 30 measures being defined, which is the basis for a Local Green Deal in the future. For this purpose, digital guidelines have been articulated, which encompass the five pillars of Digital Mindset, Sustainability & Climate Protection, Education & Social Participation, Citizen Engagement & Cooperation, and Open Data Culture.

Heidelburg participated in the previous edition of the ICC from 2020-2022 and continues its journey as it strives to cooperate with other cities because the city firmly believes that the great challenges of our time cannot be met by individual cities, and the ICC is an effective way to collaborate with other cities.