Capacity Building
for Israeli
Municipalities

We crafted an agenda for two delegations of municipal workers from over 60 Israeli cities and towns to firsthand experience Barcelona’s urban innovation ecosystem. This involved visits to several signature projects and institutions, along with keynote presentations by leading local experts.

The challenge

Gaining exposure to international urban innovation experiences is crucial for public workers. It provides them with valuable insights from diverse regions, fostering a broader perspective on problem-solving and serving as a catalyst for continuous improvement in urban planning and governance.

Drawn by Barcelona’s dynamic urban innovation ecosystem and iconic projects like the 22@ innovation district or Superblocks, two delegations of public workers from medium and small municipalities in Israel visited Barcelona in June 2022. Their aim was to gain a firsthand understanding of our city’s urban innovation projects and experiences.

Our approach

Within this framework, Anteverti was approached by the Edmon de Rothschild Foundation, the organizing entity from Israel, to provide strategic guidance for the visit program. Leveraging our deep knowledge of Barcelona’s urban innovation ecosystem and our extensive network of contacts with leading public and private institutions in the field, we meticulously designed a comprehensive agenda for the Israeli municipal delegations, which visited the city for one week each.

Our approach aimed to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of Barcelona’s urban innovation initiatives. The itinerary included visits to various urban innovation projects and institutions, such as the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, the Barcelona Innova Foundation, and Esade’s Center for Innovation in Cities, where the delegations were received by experts and officials from each organization.

As part of this carefully crafted agenda, our President, Pilar Conesa, and our CEO, Cristina Garrido, delivered two keynote speeches on how Smart Cities could contribute to transforming urban challenges into enhancements in people’s quality of life.

The result

In total, 120 public workers, representing over 60 municipalities and larger regional entities in Israel, including Jerusalem or Acre, actively participated in both delegations. Throughout their involvement, they had the exceptional opportunity to deeply engage with Barcelona’s past urban innovation initiatives. These experiences not only granted them valuable insights into cutting-edge urban practices and methodologies but also equipped them with knowledge to more effectively contribute to the progress of smart and sustainable urbanization in Israel, ultimately enhancing the long-term quality of life for residents in Israel’s cities and towns.