The resilience of Israel’s north

One of Israel’s most prominent civic voices will visit Sydney later this month to share her perspective on rebuilding communities in the country’s war-affected north.

Liat Cohen Raviv, a resident of Metula, Israel’s northernmost town on the Lebanese border, is the founder and chair of Matzpinim, a non-partisan civic movement that has mobilised thousands of residents and organisations across northern Israel to ensure border communities help shape national policy and the region’s future. The movement has focused on making sure the voices and needs of those living along the border are central to reconstruction planning, rather than sidelined by decision-makers further south.

Named by Globes as one of Israel’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2025 and recognised by the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, Cohen Raviv brings more than 25 years of experience leading social, educational and civic initiatives in Israel and internationally. She is a former chief executive of the global Diller Teen Fellows program and today advises leaders and public institutions on systemic change, leadership and resilience.

“The story of Israel’s north is not only a story of war,” Cohen Raviv said.

“It is a story of what ordinary people choose to do when waiting for someone else to fix reality is no longer an option. That is where responsibility becomes action, where people discover that even in the most uncertain times, they still have the power to shape what comes next, and where hope stops being something we wait for and becomes something we build.”