We are pleased to inform our network that Tehran Municipality, in partnership with UCLG-MEWA and the Asian Mayors Forum, is organizing the 3rd edition of the International “Resilient City” Competition, to be held on the occasion of World Cities Day (October 31, 2026).
Competition is open to municipalities, urban institutions, and international organizations, and invites them to reflect on how their city protected its citizens and their homes during its most severe crisis, whether war, earthquake, flooding, economic collapse, or another emergency, and what courageous decisions, managerial innovations, infrastructure, or grassroots actions allowed citizens to retain their sense of security and “being at home.”
Each municipality or institution may submit up to two works, chosen from among the following formats:
- Documentary film of no more than 15 minutes with English subtitles
- Documentary photography series of 10 to 20 photographs accompanied by brief descriptions
- Architectural recovery model or design with supporting visual files and explanations
- Urban installation proposal with plans and an implementation scenario.
All works must be submitted in English or accompanied by a complete English translation or subtitle, and must be accompanied by a written statement of no more than 500 words introducing the city, describing the crisis, and outlining the measures taken and results achieved.
Submissions should be sent by email to tehran@mayors.asia or shared via a download link such as Google Drive or OneDrive, for larger files, no later than the submission deadline of September 21, 2026. Results will be announced on October 6, 2026, coinciding with Tehran Day, and the winning entries will be featured at an exhibition held on October 31, 2026, on the occasion of World Cities Day.
The winning work will be registered in the “Global Archive of Urban Resilience” under the name of the winning municipality, presented at the “Resilient Cities” Conference, and honored with an official certificate from Tehran Municipality and its international partners, along with a trophy, a special “Resilient City” prize, and media coverage through reputable international networks related to urban management.
Participation in the competition is entirely free of charge, and while all material and intellectual property rights remain with the creator, participants grant Tehran Municipality the right to use submitted works for non-commercial purposes such as exhibitions, publications, and online and social media promotion.
We warmly encourage our member cities and institutions to take part in this meaningful initiative and to help share it within their networks. For further information or clarification, please contact tehran@mayors.asia.
