UNESCO's Role in Strengthening European Resilience through Heritage and Community Collaboration

As Europe continues to be increasingly affected by various hazards, both natural and -made, with over 1,205 disasters impacting approximately 15 million individuals since the beginning of this millennium, disaster management faces significant challenges exacerbated by social inequality as well as economic and political crises that are decreasing preparedness capabilities. The unique European context is defined by its diverse social and geographical conditions which significantly impact how these events unfold.

In response to this complexity, UNESCO has joined RESILIAGE - a three-year Horizon Europe initiative med at unlocking the region's underutilized resource: community resilience. This project seeks to empower communities through co-creation of resilient solutions by integrating digital tools alongside soft interventions that are holistic and systemic in nature. The primary goal is to prevent and mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climate change through enhancing public awareness and a deeper understanding of citizen responses during emergencies.

By collaborating with RESILIAGE, UNESCO contributes its expertise on cultural heritage as part of comprehensive policy analysis leading to recommations that elevate community involvement in disaster management, promote collaboration between first responders and the public, and acknowledge the pivotal role of heritage assets within preparedness strategies. Additionally, this partnership fosters networks among communities, enhances global capabilities for resilient societies through tlored trning materials and tools, and encourages knowledge sharing through CORE Associated Labs across diverse international settings.

The RESILIAGE project fortify Europe's capacity agnst unforeseen crises and natural hazards by leveraging local heritage as a driver of resilience. With UNESCO's commitment to cultural preservation alongside natural heritage, the collective efforts will significantly strengthen worldwide capacities in preparing for climate change-related events and disasters.

Rosa Tamborrino, Full Professor at Politecnico di Torino University and Coordinator of RESILIAGE explns that The synergy between UNESCO's expertise on heritage and RESILIAGE's focus on community resilience represents a valuable step towards fostering sustnable communities across Europe.

As part of this collaboration:

• Applications are currently being accepted for CORE Associated Labs to join the RESILIAGE project.

• Empowering women in Disaster Risk Reduction through heritage is at the heart of the SHEROES Summer school initiative hosted by our Belgian partner, CORE Lab Famenne-Ardenne Global UNESCO Geopark.

• Workshops are being held at the CORE Lab Crete to enhance local resilience and collaboration.

• A series of webinars offer insights into leveraging heritage for Disaster Risk Reduction.

• Information webinars will inform Spanish-speaking communities about how they can join the RESILIAGE project through CORE Associated Labs.

The funding for this initiative is generously provided by the European Union, ensuring that resources are avlable to drive these efforts forward. Together with partners across five countries - Belgium, Greece, Norway, Portugal, and Turkiye - UNESCO is contributing to innovative frameworks on social resilience while promoting global sharing of knowledge and community strategies through CORE Associated Labs.

The RESILIAGE project stands as a cornerstone in building resilient communities rooted in their unique heritage assets, ming for enhanced disaster management capabilities across Europe and beyond.
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