"Blue Community" Municipal Leadership in Mediterranean Cities - International Mayors' Roundtable Monday-Wednesday: December 5-7, 2016 Israel

Home , Hadera, Kiryat Yam, Tirat Carmel

PROGRAM

"The sea and the coast are national natural resources - a public domain, we must commit to sustainable development, so that future generations can enjoy them". (the convention of the Coastal Authorities Forum, Israel)

The three-day Coastal Mayors' Roundtable is organized by the ISRAEL Coastal Authorities' Forum – a cooperation of all the coastal authorities, from Naharya and Haifa in the north, through Tel Aviv-Yafo and Ashdod, all the way to Eilat, by the Red Sea. The roundtable is set to share the experience of coastal cities around the Mediterranean, in order to better preserve and manage our common heritage. This is a travelling event, each day hosted by a different Mayor, focusing on specific issues relating to coastal communities.

Participants:  Mayors from Mediterranean towns and cities.  Israeli mayors and key professionals from local and central government.  Heads of leading Coastal Organizations.  Leading researchers on Coastal Planning and management.

Akko • Ashkelon • Ashdod • Bat yam • Beer Tuvia • Eilat • Gan Rave • Jiser A-Zarqa • Hof Carmel • Hadera • Haifa • Emek Hefer • Herzliya • Hof Ashkelon • Hof Hasharon • Kiryat Yam • Matte Asher • Nahariya • Netanaya • Rishon Lelzion • Tel Aviv Yafo • Tirat Carmel •

Program:

Day I, December 5 – Education in Coastal Communities Hof Carmel Overnight in Nachshonim a seaside Kibbutz resort 9.00-10.30 – Greetings and Introduction Carmel Sela, Head of the Hof Carmel Regional Authority, Ophir Paz Pines, Chairman of the Israel Coastal Authorities Forum Opening Lecture: "The Municipal Seas", Professor Shamay Assif, Technion, Haifa 10.30-13.00 – Tour of the Hof Carmel Coast 13.00 – 14.00 Lunch 14.00 – 17.00 Round Table Discussion Education in a "Blue" Community; Mayors, stakeholders and education professionals Key Questions:  How to engage the broader community?  What kind of incentives can we develop to propel care and preservation as a way of life?

Transfer to overnight in the city of Ashdod

Day II, December 6 - Tourism Development and Heritage City of Ashdod 9.30-12.30 – "North to South" – City Coast Tour Dr. Yechiel Lasri, Mayor of Ashdod 12.30 – 13.30 Lunch and introduction to Local Chefs 14.00 – 17.00 Round Table Discussion "Sense of Place – on Mediterranean Heritage and Culture"; Mayors, local artists and musicians, residents. Key Questions:  Can we recreate a common sense of place in the Mediterranean?  How can cities contribute to preserving their unique heritage and culture?

Transfer to overnight in the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo

Day III: Local Coastal Know-how and Research City of Tel Aviv-Yafo 9.30-12.30 – "Smart Coastal Management" – City Coast Tour Adv. Yaron Klein, Executive Director of Atarim (Tel Aviv-Yafo Coastal Management Corporation) 12.30 – 13.30 Lunch 15.00 – 17.00 Round Table Discussion hosted by Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Municipality and in cooperation with Mare Nosrum "Treasures of the Sea – presentations of State of the Art Research"; Mayors, academics, researchers and professionals Key Questions:  How to link coastal management with research?  Innovation and research as leverages for community engagement and awareness? Conclusion of the International Roundtable

Hosting Municipalities Day I, December 5 - Educating to the Treasures of the Seas Hof Carmel Stretching along 40km of bays and sand, the authority is responsible for the longest stretch of coast of Israel. Coastal education is integrated within the education system, from grade school to academic and research institutes, serving both local and national stakeholders. Hof Carmel is also the home base of EcoOcean, an Israeli NGO, dedicated to protecting and promoting awareness of marines and coastal environments. The organization operates a research and education center and a research boat. Day II, December 6 - Tourism Development and Heritage City of Ashdod Ashdod is Israel's main port, and one of the world’s oldest cities. The City Has 218,000 Residents with a 8km coastline, and a municipal area of some 47 square km. The city is undergoing expansive development, thousands of apartments have been built and new ones are planned, both in the north, along the coast and the center. Day III: City-Citizen-Coast City of Tel Aviv-Yafo Stretching over an area of 52 square km, Tel Aviv-Yafo is the economic and cultural center of the State of Israel. It is a leading media and academic center, a cosmopolitan city of approximately 428,000 inhabitants with diverse international activities, home to corporate headquarters and international banks, a hub of innovation and creativity that attracts international approximately 1 million commuters daily. The Tel Aviv-Yafo coast stretches for 13 km and forms the longest continuous border of the city. It is supervised by ‘Atarim’ - a municipal corporation, charged with the management and development the city's urban coast.