The Olympics: the Cradle of Resilience ?
(French version here) Paris should take pride in hosting the Olympics while the city and the county are facing challenges on their essential services. The ability to bounce back will be a valuable legacy for the future and France can show the world how resilient societiy can be: from managing a city under a global event to repairing a rail network as a critical infrastructure after an attack.
Thirty-three years ago, in Barcelona, many potential risks were also on the horizon before the Olímpics started (ETA terrorism or basic infrastructure failure…). It was another time and other global scenario but Barcelona needed also to deal with disruptions. We overcame some situations (now nobody remembers the problems with the olímpic infrastructures at that time or the criticisms over the organisation) and at the end of the day we felt a sort of pride for years. And over the following years, we learned how to build resilience.
The day of the open ceremony I vividly remember working as a young guide for Team Coke, wearing my red t-shirt and accompanying Coca-Cola guests to the Olympic venues and waiting in a bus outside of the stadium where the open ceremony was held. My father was deeply involved in the organization, which transformed our city’s management. Ask any Barcelonian, and they’ll tell you how the event impacted their lives.
The 1992 Olympics brought significant changes to Barcelona and it’s citizens. We opened the city to the sea, developed four Olympic areas, and built new ring roads that cut heavy traffic in the city center by 18%. This event greatly improved our city’s image and organizational capabilities, attracting businesses and students. Our non-native population increased from 2% in 1979 to about 22-23% today. Moreover, it instilled a sense of self-esteem and the belief that we could tackle big challenges.
Thanks to the preparation for the Olympic Games and the efforts to deal with subsequent disruptions in the city, each mayor and their team, who succeeded one another over the following years, contributed to this resilience.
Embedding Resilience into the City
The Olympics provide city managers with fresh ideas and practical solutions for urban resilience opening the path for innovative ideas. A critical aspect of our success was embedding resilience into city management. Thanks to the preparation for the Olympic Games and the efforts to deal with subsequent disruptions in the city, each mayor and their team, who succeeded one another over the following years, contributed to this resilience. Then the Smart City concept was developed to create technology that serves citizens. This resilience is a legacy supported by leaders of various political backgrounds. In all cities, we need mayors to recognize this collective effort across mandates to build city resilience.
Our collective experience in 1992 showed us how transformative these games can be. The city buzzed with energy, and the opening ceremony, highlighted by a disabled archer lighting the torch, was a symbol of a new era for both the Olympics and Barcelona.
Reflecting on that time, it’s evident that resilience was integrated into our city’s management, even if we didn’t call it that. More examples include water management infrastructures developed to prevent flooding, high-quality waste and cleaning services, improved emergency and crisis management through a control center for critical infrastructures, and a strong volunteer movement proud to be from Barcelona.
A Resilient Paris for a Resilient Europe
These efforts have made Barcelona a resilient city focus on urban innovations, and recent global events have confirmed that “Resilience” is more effective than "Smart" as a buzzword. It helps us tackle new challenges like global IT outages, water scarcity, climate change, and geopolitical instability. It is also a strong argument to attract science, investors, quality tourists, and maintain economic resilience as the present city managers focus on our city.
During the preparation for the '92 Games, city managers visited Paris to learn from its urban management strategies. Some solutions were adapted to fit our Mediterranean context, while others were not applicable.
Paris, despite the unique character and mood of its citizens 😉, continues to be at the center of Europe with a strong influence on city management. As it gears up for its Olympics, it is facing impacts and challenges. More will come. However, I’m confident that Paris and its citizens will see how the Olympic spirit can again enhance their community and professional resilience. I hope this city continue to capture the resilient spirit we developed in Barcelona (inspided by them!). The goal remains the same: to manage cities effectively, bring communities together, and build a resilient Europe. With this approach, Paris and France can face the next decade with a robust plan for their resilience, as well as that of all Europeans.
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Photo: El Pais
