Held from 5 to 12 July 2025, the Summer School, organized in the context of EU-funded project RESILIAGE, gathered young professionals, researchers, and practitioners from across Europe and beyond to explore how heritage, inclusion, and digital innovation can support disaster-resilient communities.
Bridging Heritage, Inclusion, and Disaster Preparedness
Co-organised by UNESCO, Politecnico di Torino, and UCLA (under CMINE), the 2025 edition of the Summer School created a vibrant interdisciplinary space to exchange ideas and develop new approaches to risk reduction. Participants engaged in hands-on learning, discussions, and collaborative sessions on how digital tools and cultural knowledge can empower communities, particularly the most vulnerable, in the face of growing risks. The Summer School offered both a training platform and a collaborative environment to spark new thinking around the crucial role of heritage in disaster preparedness.
UNESCO’s Contribution on Inclusion
As a co-organiser, UNESCO brought a crucial perspective to the programme, delivering a dedicated lecture titled “Policy, Empowerment and Participation: Gender and Indigenous Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction.” . This session highlighted the importance of gender responsiveness and Indigenous knowledge systems in strengthening disaster risk reduction and building resilient communities. This intervention reflected UNESCO’s broader mission within RESILIAGE and its leadership in promoting heritage as a driver of sustainability and preparedness. The Summer School served as both a training ground and a vital forum for exchange, bringing together different sectors and disciplines to shape actionable, people-centred resilience strategies.
EU-Funded SYNERGIES and PARATUS Projects Driving Innovation
The Summer School was also a valuable platform to build connections with other EU-funded initiatives, particularly the SYNERGIES and PARATUS Horizon Europe projects. SYNERGIES aims to consolidate lessons from past disaster risk management projects and develop practical tools for preparedness—including volunteer integration systems, early warning tools, and public engagement strategies—tested in real-life scenarios in Malta, La Réunion, and the Rotterdam area. UNESCO plays a central role in aligning the project’s roadmap with global capacity-building efforts. In parallel, PARATUS is working to strengthen preparedness for multi-hazard events by assessing systemic vulnerabilities and developing an Online Service Platform to support first and second responders. Its case studies, in regions such as the Caribbean and Istanbul, bring valuable real-world insight to the broader effort of building safer, more resilient societies.
Images credits: UNESCO
