The third civil protection forum: developing Europe's resilience to disasters

Overview

If Europe is to cope with the growing frequency and greater impact of natural and man-made disasters, its countries will have to increase their resilience. The third Civil Protection Forum, to be held in Brussels on 25-26 November 2009, will focus on what resilience means in the context of civil protection. The role of citizens in preparing for disaster will be crucial if we are to establish a truly resilient society.

The Forum will also provide an opportunity to discuss the governance of European disaster management. Establishing a comprehensive disaster management strategy would enable Europe to improve its resilience; to better protect its citizens both inside and outside Europe; and to become a stronger partner in the management of emergencies on the international scene.

The Civil Protection Forum aims to:

- strengthen Europe's emergency management capacity, focusing on the prevention and preparedness phase of the emergency life cycle;
- develop the network between all civil protection actors and interested parties, including the private sector;
- increase the knowledge of new prevention, preparedness and response technologies available on the market;
- raise public awareness.