On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the GACC South is organizing a virtual “transatlantic encounter trip” on the topic of "Pandemic Resilient Infrastructure and Efficient Crisis Management" as part of the Transatlantic Program titled “Motion(less): A Transatlantic Dialogue on Movement, Space & Lifestyle“.

The so-called “virtual encounter trip” is aimed at experts from Texas (USA) and Bavaria (Germany) from the fields of urban and transportation planning, future mobility, local government, crisis communication, public health, virology and other related sectors. The topic was already addressed in the Motion Speaker Series (June 2021) which focused on the “status quo” on the impact of the COVID-19 in the fields of mobility and crisis management.

The encounter trip is now focusing on the future. The format is designed as a virtual expert roundtable and is intended to stimulate a debate between scientists and practitioners from the focus regions of Texas and Bavaria, particularly on future issues such as sustainable mobility and "pandemic resilient" infrastructure as well as future needs and requirements for efficient crisis management and communication on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Background Information - Transatlantic Program 2021
The effects of COVID-19 has hit societies all over the world with full force. All of a sudden, people were confronted with the same and burdensome imposition: enforced immobility. For many, the strict curfews as well as travel and contact restrictions revealed for the first time the importance of movement and mobility, especially related to public transport. Now that some countries are reopening their borders and contact restrictions are slowly being lifted, the question remains how can societies continue to remain safe? How can sustainable and socially acceptable mobility be designed after the pandemic? How can public administration implement more efficient crisis management in the future? How can the standstill caused by COVID-19 be used as an opportunity to rethink urban planning and thus promote an environmental turnaround? These questions and more are addressed by the GACC South within the framework of the Transatlantic Program 2021 on the topic of "Pandemic Resilient Infrastructure and Efficient Crisis Management".

AGENDAS

Day 1 (November 3): Pandemic Resilient Infrastructure

Day 2 (November 4): Efficient Crisis Management

The Transatlantic Program is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany with funds from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).