After a major attack, can cities ever really be the same?

Tehran, London, Kabul, Baghdad and Manchester – just some of the major cities that have seen violent attacks in recent weeks. Such incidents, while awful, often bring residents of cities together, evoking powerful symbolism and slogans like #OneLoveManchester, #JeSuisParis and #BostonStrong.

Many of those campaigns centre around cities in Europe and North America, where authorities constantly look to enhance their abilities to prevent and respond to attacks. But it is cities in Asia, the Middle East and Africa that are hit by such attacks most often. According to the Global Terrorism Database, Iraq alone is home to seven of the 15 cities that had the most ‘reported terrorist-related deaths’ between 2000 and 2015.

So, given the varied experiences and capacities of cities around the world, what are the different ways they prepare for, respond to, and recover from violence?

Joining The Stream:

Ali M. Latifi @alibomaye
Journalist
about.me/alilat

Siema Iqbal @siemaiqbal
Doctor  

Peter Rogers @Dr_Peter_Rogers
Senior lecturer, Macquarie University

Mohammed Jamjoom @MIJamjoom
Senior correspondent, Al Jazeera English

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