The 9th Asia-Pacific Weeks Berlin are focusing on Smart Cities and addressing the challenges facing megacities and urbanization. Large cities will influence our global future to an ever greater degree. Already more than half of the world’s population lives in cities. By the year 2030, it is estimated that this number will expand to 80% of people in industrialized countries and an average of 50% in developing countries. Although metropolitan areas cover only 2 % of the earth’s surface, they are highly concentrated sites of energy and resource consumption. But large cities also offer opportunities: They enable higher levels of efficiency and provide favorable overall conditions for economic growth and productivity. Intelligent urban policies can raise the quality of life and employment. Cities will therefore be assuming a key role in addressing the major challenges of the 21st century: water and energy supply, transport and mobility, safety and security, communications, sustainable urban development and climate protection, as well as education and healthcare. The cities of the future will be smart – which means intelligent, integrated and networked. Experts from business, science, culture, government and urban administration will be discussing innovative strategies for Smart Cities at the 2013 Asia-Pacific Weeks Berlin. The challenges in store for cities demand smart and creative solutions – in Berlin as well as in the growing megacities of Asia.