Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport

On today's episode, we report from Livex Livability Conference, which took place last week in Abu Dhabi.

The city's Department of Municipalities and Transport convened the event to explore some of the ideas, both homegrown and imported, for how to make cities that serve their people best.

Monaco was there, recording interviews with the best and the brightest to figure out just how to achieve that goal.

In this episode, we hear from some former mayors of major global metropolises to understand how their successes came about and what lessons they can impart on new and growing centres.

Do you think that they've actually cooked up something new as a formula or is it just a Middle East edition of something else that already exists?

No, and what was very interesting is when we met with the gentleman who runs the Department of Municipalities and Transport, their chairman, Mohammed Ali al-Sharafa, when he came on, he said, look, we're going to take this on the road.

We don't want this to just be a debate about what happens here.

We do want to go out around the world and tell this story.

On today's episode, we report from the Livex Livability Conference, which has taken place over the past three days in Abu Dhabi.

The city's Department of Municipalities and Transport convened the event to explore some of the ideas, both homegrown and imported, for how to make cities that serve their people best.

Monaco was there, recording interviews with the best and the brightest to figure out just how we can achieve that goal.

In this episode, we discuss the 15-minute city, review what the creative class means for cities of today, plus how important is urban design education for a fast-developing region.

Stay tuned to Monocle Radio throughout the day for more on these stories.

But first, could Abu Dhabi soon top the league table when it comes to being the world's most liveable city? Yesterday at LiveX in Dubai, the chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport laid out an ambitious call to become the world's most liveable and lovable destination.

Well, Monocle has been at LiveX all week and our editor-in-chief, Andrew Tuck, and golf correspondent, Inzamam Rashid, join me now.

A very good morning to you both, gentlemen.

So you can nab them as they go in.

Andrew, we'll talk celebrity in a moment.

But, Indy, let me come to you first with what we've just been mentioning a moment ago about this incredible speech where the chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport said Abu Dhabi is going to be the world's most livable and lovable destination.

I mean, what does it want to be in this context?