On 6th March 2024, the French Red Cross organised the "Transborder Regional Day: Meeting Engaged Stakeholders for Natural Risk Reduction" at the Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen in Nice. This exceptional two-day event was part of the mid-term meeting of the RED ROSES project started in March 2023 and co-funded by the EU.
The Transborder Regional Day "Meeting Engaged Stakeholders for Natural Risk Reduction" took place on Wednesday 6th March at the Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen in Nice, with the generous support of the City.
This open event attracted a wide range of participants, including representatives from the French, Italian and Monegasque Red Cross, the European Commission, local associations, various public institutions (municipalities, prefectures, local authorities), as well as academics: a total of 70 people attended the event.
The morning was marked by institutional addresses, including a keynote speech of the President of the French Red Cross, Philippe Da Costa. Discussions highlighted the importance of transborder cooperation in disaster prevention and management. Presentations underscored existing collaborations and addressed key issues for the RED ROSES project, including fostering mutual understanding, sharing information extensively, and promoting innovative initiatives.
Nathalie Smirnov, General Director of the French Red Cross, then introduced the two workshops scheduled for the afternoon. The first workshop focused on the French Red Cross's offer to local authorities in terms of crisis prevention and preparedness. The second addressed the preparations for the transborder simulation exercise planned as part of the RED ROSES project, which will assess the operationality and added value of the Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). It will be jointly organised by the French and Italian Red Cross in October 2024.
The RED ROSES project and its topics guided the event, which aimed to raise awareness, inform and promote disaster preparedness in cross-border areas. The presentations offered a comprehensive overview of the context, its objectives, and its implementation. This event also served as a reminder that effective disaster risk reduction requires everyone's participation and underscored the collective commitment to strengthening resilience to natural risks.
On Thursday 7th March, the RED ROSES project team, some members of its Advisory Board, and the European Commission's Technical Desk Officer (Riccardo Grisanti) focused on coordination issues (budget, reporting), technical aspects, and technological implementation strategies. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussions on dissemination activities, addressing the importance of training activities and the simulation exercise for effective use of the RED ROSES platform.
Overall, the event facilitated valuable exchanges on the progress and implementation of the project. Several members of the Advisory Board expressed their appreciation for the work done so far. There was a consensus on the need to further explore communication and dissemination activities to stakeholders. The event ended on a positive note, with participants looking forward to continued collaboration and progress in achieving the RED ROSES project's objectives.
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