Earthquake diplomacy: bridging borders through shared commitment

Political interests and national priorities often stall cross-border cooperation. Yet when the earth shakes, borders blur. Earthquake diplomacy steps in to bridge this gap, through humanitarian aid and scientific collaboration, it opens channels for dialogue, trust-building, and even reconciliation. 

Shared loss can moderate political divides. History however shows that crisis-born goodwill rarely sustains peace on its own.

These dynamics took centre stage during a field visit to the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region, organised within the JFIT project ‘UNESCO’s immediate recovery response to the earthquakes in Türkiye in February 2023’. Experts from Greece, Italy, and Türkiye met local stakeholders to explore how earthquake diplomacy can shift from a national concern to a shared regional and global responsibility.

Ensuring lasting collaborations through earthquake diplomacy

Professor Stefano Grimaz, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in on Intersectoral Safety for Disaster risk reduction and Resilience at the University of Udine (Italy), describes earthquake diplomacy as turning seismic crises into catalysts for diplomatic engagement and conflict resolution. The urgency of humanitarian response, he explains, can unlock empathy and cooperation, even between countries with strained relations.

Sustaining that momentum is harder. Professor Filippos Vallianatos, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Solid Earth Physics and Geohazards at the Hellenic Mediterranean University (Greece) warns that attention fades quickly once the immediate emergency passes.

Professor Mehmet Inel, from Pamukkale University (Türkiye), echoes this concern, stating that engagement is frequently short-lived due to a lack of sustained commitment and robust institutional backing.

For Grimaz, the missing link is clear: science must be connected more directly to policy. A major challenge, he notes, is overcoming the isolation of science from decision-making. Without institutional bridges, cooperation dissipates as swiftly as aftershocks.

From shared shocks to shared solutions: the role of UNESCO Chairs and academia

Earthquakes can also reset relationships. Vallianatos points to the 1999 Greece-Türkiye earthquakes. The first one hit Türkiye in August and Greece responded rapidly with aid. Weeks later, in September, Athens was hit by a second earthquake and Türkiye reciprocated. The exchange marked a turning point in bilateral relations, proof that solidarity can outlast seismic waves.

Building on this legacy, his UNESCO Chair focuses on interdisciplinary work across science, engineering, education, and urban planning throughout the Mediterranean. Its work ranges from advancing research on seismic risk and early warning systems to strengthening disaster preparedness and promoting international academic collaboration and capacity-building. In partnership with UNESCO, the Chair also supports post-disaster recovery efforts and the protection of cultural heritage.

Similarly, Grimaz’s UNESCO Chair leads several initiatives such as the ResiliEnhance programme, the ARMONIA project, and the SERM Academy. These efforts reduce regional disaster risk, enhance knowledge exchange, and reinforce civil protection. In his view, UNESCO Chairs are more than academic hubs; they a crucial role in bridging science and diplomacy by fostering long-term collaboration between countries through scientific partnerships.

By harmonising standards and best practices in seismology and earthquake engineering, supporting joint research and embedding capacity-building into institutions, UNESCO Chairs transform short-term aid into durable cooperation. Aligned with the Sendai Framework, they convert scientific knowledge into coordinated action and stronger community resilience.

From crisis to collaboration: pathways for resilience

All 3 professors agree: academic and scientific collaboration is the backbone of earthquake diplomacy. Universities offer a neutral ground, spaces where dialogue can continue even when politics falter. Structured partnerships anchor expertise within risk-informed decision-making, disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Regular exchanges, joint standards, and evidence-based assessments, especially in times of calm, are essential to turn fleeting solidarity into long-term regional resilience.

Earthquake diplomacy reminds us that beneath political divides lie shared vulnerabilities. In such moments, human connection can turn common risk into collective action, transforming shared shocks into shared solutions, and uncertainty into resolve.