Ramallah

Ramallah’s Resilience Journey

Perched some 880m above sea level, Ramallah’s name means “God’s Hills.” Located approximately 16km north of Jerusalem in the West Bank, the city was originally established in the mid-1500s, and has been growing as a cosmopolitan city, a cultural and economic hub, and a seat of the Government of the State of Palestine.

Ramallah tested its prosperity, continuity, and identity through several periods of occupation and mass immigration. Today, like other cities in Palestine, Ramallah remains under Israeli occupation, meaning the city lacks control over resources that are crucial for resilience, including mobility, land, and water.

Through Ramallah’s comprehensive Urban Resilience strategy, the city will leverage its assets and capacities to realize its potential to instate better governance practices that ensure citizens’ well-being. Ramallah will build resilience to suppress resource exploitation, striving for a better urban management of its environment, infrastructure, health, and economy, while drawing on its cultural and heritage assets as proven tools for resilience and sustainability.