RESILIENT CITIES
ABOUT US
CONNECTING RESILIENT CITIES
Project “Connecting Resilient Cities” aims to establish sustainable and citizen-friendly communication channels and foster the exchange of best practices in the field of crisis communication on an international level. To achieve this goal, we plan to create a symbiotic partnership between two major players in the crisis management field in the European Union.
The City of Rostock, located in the north-east of Germany, has been selected as the leading partner of the project due to its unique position connecting both networks. Rostock has been a founding partner of the UBC network since 1991 and is currently active in five out of eight commissions, including the Safe Cities Commission, which focuses on crisis management and cooperation among firefighters and police forces across the Baltic Sea Region of the EU. In addition, Rostock has been an active member of the ICNCM since 2016 and hosted the 15th International Crisis Management Conference on the topic of „Covid-19: Impact on Urban Environments“ in 2021.
The first network-partner is the International City Network for Crisis Management (ICNCM), an alliance of European capital cities and regions whose primary activities include knowledge and experience exchange related to crisis management, as well as organizing events such as international crisis management conferences, study trips, and trainings. Since its inception in 2003, ICNCM has regularly organized international crisis management conferences to address issues related to crisis management and citizen protection. The network comprises major European capitals such as Vienna, Ljubljana, and Paris and has significant influence not only on crisis management strategy in these cities but also at the national level.
The second network-partner is the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC), a proactive network of cities mobilizing shared potential in the Baltic Sea Region. UBC comprises Member Cities from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden and works through eight Commissions, including the Safe Cities Commission, which is our main project partner. The Safe Cities Commission collaborates to improve security services and standards and develop better safety procedures for all citizens in the Baltic Sea Region. Its members include firefighters, police department representatives, and crisis management specialists from 22 cities in the region. Both networks have extensive experience in international exchange projects and workshops.
The cities, which represent both networks as project partners, were carefully selected based on their role in the network. Vienna is a leading partner of the ICNCM, and Liepaja is the Head of the Safe Cities Commission of the UBC Network. Ljubljana was chosen to represent the southern region of the European Union since we aim to integrate all parts of the EU in our project. Rostock was selected as a project partner due to its unique position as a founding partner of the UBC network and active member of the ICNCM, making it a valuable link between both networks.
The project aims to exchange best practices, establish a common action plan, and educate the general public, particularly new citizens, on the topic of safety and crisis management. Four three-day workshops will be held to discuss topics related to crisis management. The topics of the workshops were decided based on the needs of each project partner. The following topics were chosen: crisis management in case of energy shortages, crisis communication with stakeholders – volunteers, population, and media, preparation for sheltering large groups of people, and digital and analogue warning procedures in an urban environment.
OUR endeavours for resilient cities
As a result of the project, we will establish a sustainable network of crisis management specialists, create joint crisis protocols for EU member cities, and promote the exchange of knowledge and experience among firefighters, police forces, non-governmental crisis management workers, volunteers, and local politicians. The project aims to create better communication and understanding among EU countries during crises and promote innovation in crisis management. The project also seeks to educate children with a migrant background and reading disabilities on the correct behaviour in crisis situations to save their lives. Ultimately, the project aims to make cities resilient and ready to take mutual action as one union during unexpected crises.