Meeting at the Municipality of Parga
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Venue: Parga Town Hall
Start time: 12:00 p.m.
Participants
- Prof. Ioannis Bakouros, Director of the Institute of Civil Protection, University of Western Macedonia
- Dr. Amalia Kouskoura, PhD/Researcher, University of Western Macedonia
- Mr. Dimitrios Markou, Municipal Councilor, Municipality of Parga
- Mr. Thomas Kaskanis, Deputy Mayor of Parga
- Mr. Spyridon Bomporis, Civil Protection Delegate of Parga Municipality
- Mr. Georgios Christakis, Deputy Mayor of Civil Protection, Municipality of Parga
- Ms. Christina Sotiriou, Municipality of Parga Staff Member
During the meeting, the THEMIS project was presented and an in-depth mapping of the civil protection needs of the Municipality of Parga was carried out, considering tourist flows, vulnerable population groups, cultural monuments, and protected natural areas.
Main Conclusions & Communication Directions
- Strong interest was expressed in the THEMIS program and its prospects for utilization by local authorities. The need for targeted communication of the results to the local community was highlighted.
- It was decided to hold a second round of meetings at the end of June 2025, with broad participation of critical stakeholders (Fire Service, Emergency Medical Services, Police, volunteer groups, tourism professionals, etc.).
- The need to enhance coordination and cooperation among stakeholders through support from the University of Western Macedonia team was emphasized.
- There was particular interest in producing informational material (brochures, guidelines) aimed at tourism businesses to inform and prepare visitors/tourists for possible emergencies.
- The importance of information on urban planning, especially in areas with limited accessibility, was stressed in collaboration with technical services to ensure prevention and effective intervention in disaster cases.
Next Steps
- Local operational meetings (June 15–30, 2025) with the participation of all involved stakeholders. Systematic communication and briefing of participants about the content and requirements of the THEMIS project is critical. Attendance by staff from the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and the relevant Regional Services (Civil Protection, Tourism, Culture, Health).
- Implementation of self-assessment of preparedness of related stakeholders on civil protection issues, with emphasis on tourists and tourism products.
- Design and printing of informational brochures, in collaboration with tourism and cultural stakeholders.
- Communication and proposals for improving accessibility and risk prevention in vulnerable areas through cooperation with urban planning and technical services of the municipalities.
- Creation of a communication mechanism between municipalities and tourism businesses for crisis management.
