Knowledge Network busy at Civil Protection Forum
The Forum, the 7th edition and the first one held since 2018, was a chance to showcase Knowledge Network activities and to meet the civil protection and disaster disk management community.
The Knowledge Network team was at the European Civil Protection Forum on 28-29 June in Brussels, with both an exhibition stand and a workshop.
With around 1000 online and in-person participants, the Forum was ‘the’ place in 2022 to meet the civil protection community and find opportunities for knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration.
The Knowledge Network exhibition stand was a hub to meet, whether for the first time or catching up with long-time colleagues.
The Network’s capacity building and science pillars were presented, and videos and e-publications showcased different Knowledge Network products and services.
©EU/Wycher Van Vliet
“The Knowledge Network stand had an important role in meeting and growing the Network’s community, so that our work can be even more relevant for our community members. It was interesting to see how many people show the willingness to connect to the Network and to learn more about it.
The interactive screen showing the Knowledge Network online platform was definitely a key element at the stand! Visitors could take a tour around the new pages and register as members.“
The Forum had a packed schedule of plenary sessions and workshops.
Plenary sessions brought together high-level speakers on a range of interesting and challenging topics in disaster risk management while workshops were a perfect forum for knowledge-sharing and networking.
The Knowledge Network workshop ‘The next “big thing” in civil protection training - can new technologies revolutionise the way we learn in civil protection?’ was on digitalisation in disaster management training.
While the physical experience of UCPM Training and Exercises is essential for experts to bond and nurture the European corps d’esprit, immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality are an opportunity to strengthen the way we learn and train.
© European Union, 2022
‘Experience from others shows that we should integrate virtual and augmented reality in our training programmes where they add value in building and enhancing competences of European civil protection staff and teams for future emergencies.’
In related news, the Knowledge Network Board officially endorsed the UCPKN Strategic Plan 2022-2026 on the eve of the Forum. The strategic plan describes where the Knowledge Network is placed within the broader civil protection and disaster risk management system and defines its vision, mission, and strategic goals for the next five years.
Photos, session recordings and other highlights of the Civil Protection Forum 2022 can be found on the event's dedicated page.
Look out for more news and stories from the event. We’ll be exploring some of the different themes of the Forum and reporting back on what happens next.