Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit

The Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit, developed by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, guides local authorities in managing the social consequences of terror attacks. It emphasizes the shift toward 'soft targets' in urban centers and the critical role of municipal leadership in preventing social division. The guide details strategies for community engagement, including mapping vulnerable groups and using both direct and indirect outreach. It provides a comprehensive communications framework to de-escalate tensions, combat misinformation, and avoid the glorification of perpetrators. Additionally, it outlines the establishment of psychosocial support working groups to address collective and individual trauma. The document includes leadership checklists and worksheets to help city officials coordinate with national authorities and local stakeholders to build long-term urban resilience.

• Terrorist tactics have shifted from 'hard targets' like government buildings to 'soft targets' such as crowded places and faith institutions, making densely populated cities ideal for inflicting mass casualties and psychological trauma.
• Local authorities must identify and support four specific types of vulnerable communities after an attack: those directly targeted, those perceived to be related to the perpetrator, those affected collaterally, and those at risk of further radicalisation.
• Effective community engagement requires a mixed approach of direct engagement via trusted internal case managers and indirect engagement through credible community actors such as faith leaders or non-profit leaders.
• Public communications should follow specific principles to maintain stability: providing objective facts to inform, using apolitical and unifying language to unite, and being candid about mistakes to react without shifting blame.
• To prevent the 'trumpet of amplification,' local authorities should monitor social media to determine if harmful misinformation has reached a 'critical mass' before addressing it publicly, to avoid giving fuel to fringe stories.
• City leaders are advised to avoid using the perpetrator's name and resist war rhetoric in their first official statements to prevent the glorification of the attacker and the creation of an 'us' versus 'them' narrative.
• Psychosocial support should be coordinated through a local working group that maps a layered system of complementary supports, ranging from basic security and community support to specialized professional services.
• The toolkit identifies five dimensions of wellbeing that must be assessed for victims: psychological/social, information/advice, physical health, practical/safety, and financial needs.
• Immediate leadership response should prioritize a clear chain of command and the establishment of 3 to 4 core priorities to guide all subsequent actions and communications.

APA

Institute for Strategic Dialogue (n.d.). Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit. https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SCN_Toolkit_RespondingToATerrorAttack.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit. n.d. https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SCN_Toolkit_RespondingToATerrorAttack.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Strategic Dialogue |title=Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit |url=https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SCN_Toolkit_RespondingToATerrorAttack.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforstrategicdialoguendstrong, author = {{Institute for Strategic Dialogue}}, title = {{Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit}}, institution = {Institute for Strategic Dialogue}, url = {https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SCN_Toolkit_RespondingToATerrorAttack.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }