On 16 April 2026, Prep2Shelter was presented in Brussels at the kick-off meeting for projects funded under the UCPM-2025-KAPP-PVPP call. The event brought together project coordinators and stakeholders to exchange information on implementation, cooperation opportunities, and collaboration with DG ECHO.
Maria Luísa Sousa from the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC), project coordinator, introduced Prep2Shelter to fellow project coordinators, stakeholders, and representatives involved in the selected initiatives.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss key aspects of project implementation, including administrative, financial, legal, and communication requirements. It also enabled direct exchanges with representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), fostering cooperation and knowledge sharing among projects working towards strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience.
The event marked an important first step in building collaboration networks and sharing experiences with other European initiatives addressing civil protection challenges.
During the event, Maria Luísa Sousa also met Rajesh Rupakhety, from the Earthquake Engineering Research Centre (EERC) at the University of Iceland, who supervises seismic hazard simulation, vulnerability modelling, and risk assessment in Pilot Study 2 (Earthquakes in Iceland).
This meeting strengthened collaboration between project partners and provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on ongoing tasks and the project’s implementation.
