In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, Tel Aviv has faced significant difficulties and continues to adapt and evolve. A research project at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), under the guidance of the UNESCO Chair in Sustainability, is exploring the measures cities have taken to enhance preparedness, strengthen community resilience, and manage resources more effectively during crises related to health, safety, or climate. As cities worldwide work to recover from various disruptions, what insights can be drawn from Tel Aviv’s efforts to create a more sustainable and adaptable urban environment?Join us for a transformative evening workshop featuring Tel Aviv’s leading decision-makers, community leaders, urban strategists, and residents as we redefine how cities prepare for unpredictable "black swan" events. During our panel discussion, hear bold strategies for crisis management, urban adaptability, and resource optimization. You’ll have the opportunity to share your ideas in roundtable discussions, helping to shape the future of urban development. This is your chance to be part of a movement that will revolutionize how cities survive and thrive.

This event is part of an international series associated with the research project and will take place in Japan and Singapore.

Opening words: Asaf Zamir, Deputy and Acting Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Research presentation: Architect and PhD candidate Joseph Uguet (Polytechnic University of Catalonia, UPC) and Eve Wellish-Brown (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

Speakers and roundtable moderators:

Arch Alon Matos, City Planner in the City Planning Department, Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality

Rami Vald, Deputy Commander of Tel Aviv's Home Front Command Unit Rabbi Joe Wolfson, Rabbi of Tel Aviv's Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) Young Professionals Community

Prof Meirav Gutman, the Department of Architecture and Town Planning, the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, principal investigator of the Smart Social Strategy Lab at the Technion – Israel Institute of TechnologyNoga Myers, Director of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality Information and Knowledge Center

Anat Shapira, Expert in Design and Methodology, Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality

Host: Arch. Sharon Golan, Director of the

Research Lab at Liebling HausProduction: Michal Alchadef Simon and Melina HartmannResearch Rights and InvolvementThe event is centered around the collaboration between architect and PhD candidate Joseph Uguet and Eve Wellish-Brown from the Technion. As a researcher at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and supported by the UNESCO Chair for Sustainability, Uguet has devoted the last 25 years to crafting an "anti-fragility" model for cities, asserting that crises can act as catalysts for change. Recently, he started working with Wellish-Brown to apply this model in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

The event is part of the Liebling Salon, founded to address the challenges of preserving the spirit of Tel Aviv-Yafo amidst the city's rapid changes. The meetings focus on current issues at a time when the historical layers of the city take on new significance and tensions between old and new are more pronounced than ever.

Meetings will take place on Mondays, every two months. Admission: 40 ILS (includes light refreshments)*Please note that the event duration is up to 3 hours.