‘Resilience’ has become something of a buzzword these days – not just in terms of a desirable personality trait but also something companies and even cities can aspire to. But what does it look like in practice? We travel to Rotterdam to ask: What exactly makes a city resilient? How can you measure such a thing? And whose job is it to prepare our cities for the challenges on the horizon?

Featuring: Arnoud Molenaar, Kinga Feenstra

Why do we fear failure?

Sustainability is an iterative process. There are no shortcuts. But in a world focussed on success, we often hide from our mistakes.

Recognising this, Gerald Babel-Sutter set out to unite urban change-makers in an environment where they could confidently share their pitfalls, problems, and brick walls.

The idea caught on. What started out as a workshop for around 50 people quickly grew into a full-blown conference – and stories of prominent eff-ups are a real mainstay.

Featuring: Gerald Babel-Sutter, Maria Vassilakou

Elected officials make decisions that affect millions of people, but beyond voting every few years, what say do citizens really have? Maybe democracy needs a tune-up. A citizens’ assembly – a sort of lottery promising better representation – can bring diverse voices to the table. Copenhagen has already given it a go, and the change in perspectives it brought about have been… surprising.

Featuring: Johan Galster, James Macdonald-Nelson