The objective of BALANCE information and publicity strategy is to make aware of / disseminate the results of the exercise to European civil protection community including NGOs related to disaster management and increase visibility of the exercises to decision makers in disaster risk reduction and management fields. Thus, integrating the exercises with the broader civil protection strategies and action plans in the participating countries and beyond. Also, to link BALANCE project with other EU funded ones (such as HORIZON2020 ongoing projects) to establish an interactive bond between applied research and operational needs.
BALANCE communication plan will be ready at the 1st month of implementation and the relevant strategy and activities will cover all project implementation period. Its milestone will be the acceptance in presenting exercise/project to European Civil Protection Communities, the increased number of participating operational teams and 1st responders in project events as well as the success of joint training of 1st responders / operational teams. In order to make stakeholders and local communities’ active supporters of SOLVE activities all major interventions will be promoted. Publicity strategy and consultation campaign will tackle both high level challenges (such as establishment of conditions for effective cross border cooperation and national and regional levels) and practical operational problems (modern equipment, joint
training, participation of volunteers and citizens, safety, health and psychological support of 1st responders) to risk prevention and management activities, among many.
All outputs of BALANCE are driven by the core objective, which is to minimize risk derived from large earthquakes and improve prevention and management capacities and capabilities at the cross-border area. Two (2) training events –see WPG- will be organized in Croatia and Albania to serve –besides training needs mentioned in WPG- the need for increased visibility of the project / exercise and added value for the whole western Balkans mega region. Such a proposal was initially made by the Montenegrin Ministry of Interior and was welcomed by National Civil Protection Authorities participating in BALANCE project.
