News & Events Event Reports

Global Crises, Local Impacts: A Roundtable for Mayors and other Local Government Officials on Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond

Publication Date:

17/05/2024

Content Type:

Event Reports

Share:

Tags:

City-Led ActionClimate ChangeGlobal CrisesLocal ImpactsMigrationRussiaSocial CohesionUkraine

— 4 minutes reading time

Event Details

Description: The Strong Cities Network convened more than 20 mayors and other local government leaders as well as civil society organisations and practitioners from North America to share experiences, lessons learned and good practices in maintaining social cohesion in the midst of global crises, such as the Israel-Gaza crisis, Russia-Ukraine war, migration and climate change, among others.

Where & When: 30 April 2024, New York City (New York)

Partners: The Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation and the Picker Center for Executive Education at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs

Cities Represented:

• United States: Athens (Ohio), Beverly (Massachusetts), Broadview (Illinois), Chattanooga (Tennessee), Forest Park (Illinois), Kinston (North Carolina), New York City (New York), Raleigh (North Carolina), Rochester (New York), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), San Antonio (Texas) and Seattle (Washington)

Community-Based Organisations Represented:

• Muslim Community Network, New York City (New York)

Partners Represented:

• Bloomberg Philanthropies, New York City (New York, United States)
• Carnegie Melon University, Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, United States)
• Foundation for a Path Forward, Vancouver (Canada)
• Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Washington D.C. (United States)

Key Takeaways

• The Israel-Gaza crisis and the misinformation and conspiracy narratives online surrounding it, have contributed to a rise in offline antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate and violence across the United States, with malign actors using the crisis, including the student protests surrounding it, to stir up discord. These threats are coming from across the ideological spectrum resulting in real-world manifestations that threaten social cohesion including violence, vandalism and threats to soft targets that contribute to communities feeling unsafe.
• City councils should carefully consider their role when global crises impact and divide their communities, focusing on fostering community cohesion, and work closely with mayors’ offices and community-based actors, including faith leaders, to help de-escalate tensions and bridge divides between communities affected by international crises such as Israel-Gaza. City councils are effective tools to ensure community concerns are heard and their input is reflected in city policies and can also facilitate opportunities for shared solutions to challenges that undermine social cohesion, particularly when supported by their mayor and community partners to develop community informed solutions.
• City-led strategic communications in times of global or other crises should be compassionate, inclusive and consistent. Mayors and other city leaders should be prepared to provide consistent messaging offering compassion and resources to those most affected in their communities by global crises. City leaders should also look for innovative ways to facilitate strategic communications both on- and off-line to ensure messaging about the crisis reaches all residents.
• Investments in partnerships with community-based organisations and leaders and ensuring city policies and programmes are informed by the needs and concerns of communities will strengthen the city-community trust and social cohesion that can mitigate impact of a global crisis at a local level. City leaders should continuously work to forge and sustain partnerships with community-based organisations and leaders to minimise impacts of global crises, foster greater trust between communities and their local governments and social cohesion amongst residents.
• Small and mid-sized cities in particular need more tools and support, tailored to their often unique needs, to prevent and respond to the rise in hate and polarisation in their communities linked to global crises. To unleash the full power of cities to prevent polarisation and maintain social cohesion in the face of global crises such as Israel-Gaza, more resources, funding and opportunities for city-to-city sharing and learning are needed, with a particular emphasis on small- and mid-sized cities.

Next Steps

• Strong Cities will continue to offer opportunities for city-to-city learning and knowledge sharing related to managing the impacts that Israel-Gaza and other global crises are having on social cohesion in their communities through its Global Crisis, Local Impacts and Transatlantic Dialogue Initiatives, including a monthly webinar series on this topic. The next webinar, which will feature city representatives from both Europe and North America, is scheduled for 23 May 2024. Strong Cities is also hosting upcoming in-person workshops in Montreal (Canada) in May 2024, Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, United States) in August 2024, and Columbus (Ohio, United States) in September 2024, where these issues will be discussed.

Additional Resources

• Transatlantic Dialogue Initiative: Ten Key Findings in 2023, Strong Cities Network (March 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Strong Cities Network (March 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (February 2024)
• 50 Possible Questions to Open Israeli-Palestinian Dialogues, International Ombuds Association (February 2024)
• Rise in antisemitism on both mainstream and fringe social media platforms following Hamas’ terrorist attack, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (updated February 2024)
• Global Crisis, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (January 2024)
• Unpacking antisemitic narratives about the Hamas attack and the Israel-Hamas Conflict within YouTube comments, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (December 2023)
• Navigating Local Impacts of Global Crises: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Cities – Lessons from the Israel-Gaza Crisis, Strong Cities Network (December 2023)
• Global Crisis, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (December 2023)
• Information disorder in the Israel-Hamas war highlights shifts in the fight against online misinformation, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (November 2023)
• Islamist groups unite around Israel attack, diverge on Hamas, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (November 2023)
• Hate united: Neo-Nazi accelerationist support for Hamas, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (November 2023)
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism and Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (September 2023)
•  A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (September 2023)

News & EVENTS

Stay up to date with recent news, articles and event reports

News & Events

Looking for something in our Resource Hub?

Or explore all resources

Nominated for Best Animated Short at Cannes

Watch now

Join US

Looking to become a Strong City?

Get in touch