The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE) successfully co-hosted the regional workshop on "Stress Management in Response to Natural and Other Disasters", held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 16 to 18 December 2024.

Organized by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, this workshop was a valuable contribution to the DPPI SEE’s Disaster Management Training Programme for 2024.

Workshop Highlights:

• Empowering participants with strategies for managing stress effectively during crises.
• Enhancing skills in psychological support for rescuers and decision-makers.
• Addressing sensitive topics, including coping with grief, suicide in rescue units, and fostering personal growth post-crisis.
• Providing individual and peer support for psychological preparedness in disaster response.

The workshop brought together providers and organizers of psychological support services, rescuers in need of assistance, and decision-makers from DPPI SEE member countries.

DPPI SEE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, Sector for Emergency Management of Republic of Serbia, was proud to host the workshop on "Emergency Management and Cross-Sector Coordination with a Focus on Forest Fires", from October 8 to 10, 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia. Attending member states include: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia.

The event brought together a diverse group of colleagues from the field of civil protection and disaster risk reduction, including local government officials and emergency response teams through which the attendees gained crucial insight from both, administrative and practical aspects of managing emergency situations caused by forest fires. The primary objective was to facilitate discussion and exchange experiences and common practices among various member state sectors in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from forest fire incidents. Participants engaged in discussions on best practices, shared experiences, and identified gaps in current emergency management protocols through their respective presentations.

The workshop featured several keynote speakers who provided valuable insights into effective emergency management strategies. Topics covered included the importance of real-time data sharing, the role of community engagement in disaster preparedness, and the integration of technology in firefighting efforts. Group sessions allowed participants to brainstorm solutions to specific challenges, such as coordinating evacuation plans and improving communication between agencies. The interactive format fostered a spirit of collaboration, leading to the development of actionable recommendations tailored to the unique needs of the region.

As a result of the workshop, attendees expressed a renewed commitment to strengthening cross-sector coordination in forest fire management. The insights gained and connections made during the workshop will be invaluable in enhancing community resilience and ensuring that all stakeholders are better prepared to address the challenges posed by forest fires in the future.

The one-and-a-half-day workshop titled “Incident Command Systems in South-Eastern Europe – Tools and Procedures for Interaction of Emergency Services” was held on 20-21 November 2024 in Zagreb, Croatia. This event was jointly organized by the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE) and RACVIAC (Centre for Security Cooperation).

During the workshop, participants engaged in discussions addressing the challenges and opportunities of coordinating national Incident Command Systems (ICS) across South-Eastern Europe.

The workshop focused on enhancing regional cooperation in disaster preparedness and response, fostering alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards.

The event provided a valuable opportunity to share tools, procedures, and best practices essential for effective interaction between emergency services during large-scale disasters.

The Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in collaboration with the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative of South-Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE), held a workshop titled "Preparation of Project Proposals in the Field of Protection and Rescue, and Application to Available EU Funds - Exchange of Experiences" on 25-26 September
2024, in Jahorina.
In addition to representatives from various levels of the host country, the workshop welcomed participants from DPPI SEE member states, including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, as well as representatives from the European Commission’s DG ECHO. The workshop aimed to provide a platform for participants from DPPI SEE countries to showcase best practices and exchange experiences in project development. Key discussions revolved around the challenges civil protection authorities face—from conducting institutional needs assessments and identifying relevant project topics, to writing applications and establishing project consortiums.
During the second part of the workshop, participants were divided into four working groups. Each group selected a relevant project topic, navigated application procedures, adhered to defined timelines and milestones, and presented their brief project proposals.

The DPPI SEE Secretariat and its member states actively contributed as panelists and representatives in various panels and meetings, including the Ministerial Meeting at the Europe & Central Asia Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Budva from November 6–8, 2024.

The Head of the DPPI SEE Secretariat delivered the opening speech for the panel “Road to Resilience: Children and Youth in Action,” where he emphasized DPPI SEE's role in fostering a child- and family-sensitive regional approach in disaster risk management and civil protection. He also announced the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DPPI SEE and UNICEF, highlighting seven new collaborative activities planned under this partnership over the next two years.

Additionally, the DPPI SEE Secretariat participated in the MCR2030 Regional Coordinating Committee and in the session, “Towards a Network of Networks: Connecting Sub-Regional Hubs in Europe and Central Asia Region for Accelerating DRR.” The Head of the Secretariat also contributed to the European Commission Workshop on Regional Cooperation in Disaster Risk Management, presenting DPPI SEE’s perspective on regional collaboration in this field.

At the Ministerial Meeting, the Head of DPPI SEE Secretariat underscored its unique role as a prominent sub-regional hub in South-Eastern Europe, enhancing capacity across the region by integrating similarities and balancing differences among the ten national civil protection authorities. He highlighted DPPI SEE’s Disaster Management Training Program (DMTP), which organizes joint training, exercises, and activities to build a holistic approach in disaster preparedness and prevention through cross-sectoral support and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Head further outlined DPPI SEE’s recent efforts to expand its activities and partnerships, including with UNICEF, UNDRR, UNDP, the Sphere Secretariat, DHL, RCC, RACVIAC, the Council of Europe, and others. He closed by emphasizing DPPI SEE’s vision for a stronger, more resilient region, where member states play a larger role in providing assistance and expertise across Europe and beyond.

The workshop organized by Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia and implemented within DPPI SEE’s Disaster Management Training Programme for 2024 gathered representative from eight DPPI SEE countries and other representatives from energy company “NIS” a.d., Red Cross of Serbia and Association of speleological organizations in Serbia. 

The workshop emphasized the importance of collaboration between civil protection authorities and external partners. Discussions centered on developing effective partnerships to enhance disaster prevention, preparedness and response, showcasing successful case studies from DPPI SEE countries. Key topics included the critical role of external partners in disaster risk management and the need for resilient infrastructure and comprehensive framework in dealing with emergencies and disasters. Additionally, the workshop examined current institutional setup, policies and legislative frameworks, recommending improvements to support and integrate private-public partnerships into national disaster management strategies. 

The workshop resulted in a commitment to strengthen and expand private-public partnerships among participating countries and organizations, with the formation of new collaborations aimed at enhancing regional disaster preparedness. Participants assessed the current achievements and approaches in developing private-public partnership in disaster risk management and formulated actionable measures and recommendations, focusing on improved coordination, communication, and resource-sharing, serving for capacity building within the DPPI SEE network, planning future workshops and joint exercises. Enhanced networking and knowledge exchange fostered a community of practice in disaster risk management, with an agreement to advocate for policy changes supporting institutionalized private-public partnerships at national and regional levels.

From May 13 to 17, 2024, the "Basic Training for Rescue Dogs and Dog Handlers" took place in Jagodina, Republic of Serbia. This training was a collaborative effort between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Slovenia as part of the Disaster Management Training Programme for 2024. It was organized by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief and the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia.
The training aimed to equip participants with basic knowledge and skills for working with young dogs and to introduce them to emergency situations such as earthquakes, explosions, collapsing buildings, and open area searches for injured or missing persons. It included both theoretical and practical components and was conducted at the abandoned "Juhor" AD company building and in the Kučaj-Beljanica National Park.
The event was attended by 20 experts from seven DPPI SEE countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

The first ever full scale simulation exercise within DPPI SEE is completed. DPPI FLEX 2023 was held between 23-27 October 2023 in Brcko, Bosnia and Herzegovina with participation of all 10 DPPI SEE member states. The exercise was organized in close coordination with the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sector for Rescue and Protection and Brcko District Department for Public Security. Drone flying operations, data management, solving logistics problems regarding incoming humanitarian assistance and camp management where the topics of the exercise all of them combined in one scenario. The activation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism was used to coordinate the incoming assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This process was also supported by deploying a EUCPT, again composed of members from the DPPI SEE member states ( and one Liaison Officer from ERCC). The OSOCC had a specific task having in mind the above mentioned operations (drones, logistics, camp management). Therefore 3 cells were created within the OSOCC covering each of the segments. Some of the immediate lessons identified are towards STANDARDIZATION - what is a drone team? technical and personal requirements? FLEXIBILITY - the exercise required splitting of the teams and COMMUNICATION - key element in planning and implementing the exercise especially when new technologies and approaches are implemented.

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The aim of this workshop was the exchange of experiences and practices between member countries of the DPPI SEE, which are, among other things, navigating through the procedures of  providing, transiting and receiving international aid during emergencies in 2023. The discussion, presentations and the exchange of information of all member countries regarding the organization of the entire process of managing the procedures for providing, transiting and receiving international aid during natural disasters in 2023 gave clear insight into their respective capacities and capabilities in times of crisis, as well as further possibilites for improvement. Where, on the unfortunate examples of catastrophes that struck Turkey and Slovenia, which were affected by a devastating earthquake and floods, we could see all the advantages and disadvantages during the provision, transit and reception of aid. The experiences that the participants shared with their colleagues through their presentations are of great importance for the further development of protection and rescue.

Colleagues attending the workshop that were present during the DPPI FLEX 2023 shared their insights of some of the objectives that were in focus during the exercise. The main topics that were discussed, touched upon the operational capacities and coordination between of teams coming from DPPI member states, as well as coordination of activities through the UCPM and ERCC. Through FLEX 2023, participants gained first hand experience regarding the logistics of following procedures and guidelines related to HNS, EUCPT and SPHERE.

In cooperation with the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Republic of Slovenia, DPPI SEE hosted the Critical Incident Stress Management workshop in Ljubljana. The workshop was held between 15-16 November with participation of all DPPI SEE member states. Experts in the field of psychology, social work and first responders had the opportunity to exchange of methods and practices used for psychological support to first responders after facing critical incidents at the work place. The Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Republic of Slovenia use the opportunity to present its own system and how it evolved over the years. The other member states through the group works and the discussions also shared their national experiences, challenges and needs in that context. This is the first workshop of this nature organized within DPPI SEE and the recommendation from the training audience was that a follow up should be organized and exchange on the topic to be continued.