RESILIAGE at the EU-Japan Forum on Disaster Resilience: Key Takeaways
On March 3-4, 2025, RESILIAGE had the honor of participating in the EU-Japan Forum on Disaster Resilience, an event organized by DG Home with the support of CMINE. Hosted at Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), the forum gathered experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from around the world to discuss innovative strategies for disaster risk management and community resilience.
RESILIAGE was prominently featured in Session 1 – Societal Resilience, moderated by Yasushi Miyazaki (Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan). This session focused on the collective capacity of societal actors—both formal and informal, digital and analogue, organized and unorganized—in enhancing resilience by considering human, contextual, and societal factors.
Our project coordinator, Professor Rosa Tamborrino (Politecnico di Torino, Italy), represented RESILIAGE in Panel 1, which explored diverse approaches to disaster preparedness and response. Her presentation, Local Heritage for Better Understanding of Citizen’s Behavioural and Psychological Reactions in the Event of a Disaster or Crisis Situation, highlighted the role of cultural heritage in shaping community responses to crises. She emphasized how an awareness of local heritage can foster stronger community bonds, improve risk perception, and ultimately enhance disaster preparedness.
Professor Rosa Tamborrino was joined by distinguished panellists, each bringing a unique perspective to the discussion:
- Nathan Clark (Free University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) – Examined inclusive disaster resilience and the importance of bridging gaps between authorities and communities through the SYNERGIES project.
- Katsuya Yamori (Kyoto University, DPRI, Japan) – Offered insights on rethinking implementation science, emphasizing action research and open science methodologies.
- Orsolya Székely-Keresztesi (SFC, Hungary) – Explored how games and gamification can enhance disaster prevention and preparedness, showcasing the B-PREPARED initiative.
The event provided an invaluable opportunity for RESILIAGE to engage with global experts and foster new collaborations. The discussions reinforced the importance of integrating interdisciplinary approaches and local knowledge into resilience strategies. Through participation in this forum, RESILIAGE continues its commitment to developing innovative tools and solutions that empower communities to better prepare for and respond to disasters.
