IPRED VII on 16-18 November 2026
The THEME of the IPRED VII conference is: Preparation and preparedness for conflicts
ABOUT IPRED
International Preparedness & Response to Emergencies & Disasters
IPRED has been an international conference held biennialy in Israel since 2010.The conference brings together people who deal with emergencies and disasters worldwide, enriching each other with everything new on the subject.
Alongside the lectures and discussions over two days, there is a huge exhibition with all the innovations dealing with emergencies and disasters. An extensive exercise will reveal the innovations and practices related to disasters and emergencies on the conference’s third day. We invite everyone to join the IPRED community and participate in our activities. We are looking forward to hosting you at the conference starting on November 15th, 2026.
Our Team
Prof. Dorit Nitzan
Chairman of the Academic Committee
Physician specializing in public health, emergency preparedness, disaster management, and health systems resilience. She served in senior leadership positions at the World Health Organization (WHO) for 17 years, including as WHO Representative and Head of Country Offices in Serbia, Montenegro, and Ukraine, before being appointed Regional Emergency Director for the WHO European Region, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. In that role, she led WHO's emergency preparedness and response activities across 53 Member States. Following her retirement from WHO, Prof. Nitzan returned to lead the Organization's humanitarian health response in Ukraine at the outbreak of the war. She currently serves as Professor and Director of the School of Public Health at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, where she also directs the Master's Program in Emergency Medicine – Preparedness and Response and leads the BGU-FOR (Food Systems, One Health and Resilience) Center. She has received numerous international awards in recognition of her contributions to global public health and emergency management.
Dr. Asher Salmon
Co-chair of the Organizing Committee
Distinguished physician and healthcare leader with more than three decades of experience in Israel's medical and public health systems. A board-certified oncologist since 2002, he holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology with a specialization in Cancer Genetics, as well as a Master's degree in Health Administration. Throughout his career, Dr. Salmon has held senior leadership positions in healthcare administration, international health cooperation, and medical education. He has taught comparative international health systems at the university level for many years and has made significant contributions to the development of Israel's healthcare system at both the national and international levels. Dr. Salmon has served as Israel's representative on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) and on the Bureau of the OECD Health Committee. He also served as the national focal point for the WHO and several other United Nations agencies, led the establishment of the WHO Country Office in Israel, and directed the organization of the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, hosted in Tel Aviv.
Dr. Maya Golan
Co-chair of the Organizing Committee
Served as Head of the Emergency Management and Operations Division at the Israeli Ministry of Health since Operation Rising Lion (June 2025). In this role, she oversees the National Health Command Center and leads efforts to strengthen the healthcare system's preparedness, operational readiness, and response capabilities for a wide range of emergency scenarios. Following the events of October 7, 2023, Dr. Golan led healthcare planning for the Tkuma Administration in the Prime Minister's Office, where she was responsible for developing strategies to support the rehabilitation and recovery of the affected region. Her work focuses on integrating emergency preparedness, health system resilience, and operational coordination at the national level.
Dr. Eran Tal-Or
Chairman of the Digital and Media Committee
Physician specializing in anesthesiology and emergency medicine and holds a Master's degree in Health Administration. He serves as Director of the Emergency Department at Tzafon Medical Center (formerly Padeh–Poriya Medical Center), Tiberias, Israel, where he also chairs the hospital's Emergency Preparedness Committee, leading emergency planning, operational readiness, and disaster response. Dr. Tal-Or is a faculty member at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, where he teaches emergency and trauma medicine. He also serves as Medical Director of IMA – Israeli Medical Assistance, overseeing international medical assistance services, including aeromedical evacuations and the repatriation of ill and injured patients to Israel. Dr. Tal-Or's professional interests include emergency medicine, disaster preparedness, trauma care, and healthcare system resilience.