How we can improve citizens participation in Smart cities?

Over the last few years, the term ‘smart cities’ has gained traction in academic, industry, and policy debates about the deployment of new media technologies in urban settings. It is mostly used to describe and market technologies that make city infrastructures more efficient, and personalize the experience of the city. Speaking about smart cities leads most of the people to imagine cites being laced with sensors and mobile technologies, but this is not sufficient; smart cities are also open cities which builds on participation as a driving force for innovation, utility and social sustainability. Generating smart citizens is one of the main challenges for smart city promoters, because it is certain that citizens must have a voice in how their cities develop, as it is people, not infrastructure, that makes cities smart.

Smart citizens are active citizens; who care about their city and looks to be part of its future plans. But what if many people, are not interested, No body care about what happen in the city, or doesn't have time to join the City hall meetings or workshops or other official events. What about reaching each and every person in the city, from all different social levels; ( educated , non educated, elderly, young, rich, poor..etc)

How we can reach all these people? Do you think , new technologies; smart phones, sensors and crowd-sourcing is the best solution? by collecting their opinions, ideas and though? or do you have other butter ideas? If you have any idea related to " How we can improve citizens participation is smart cities" please share it with us..