The Regional Secretary for Health stated today that the 1st International Congress on Civil Protection of the Azores to be held in Angra do Heroísmo on June 6 and 7 aims to search for strategies to overcome new global challenges arising from climate change.
 
"This new global problem requires that populations, organisations and governments be better prepared for situations arising from climate change in terms of temperatures, rising sea levels and storms," said Rui Luis, who spoke at the conference for the presentation of the event.
 
This international congress promoted by the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service will be held at Angra do Heroísmo Cultural and Congress Centre under the theme "New Challenges, Threats and Capabilities Challenges."
 
The programme of the event features several panels and 30 specialists in the areas of civil protection, climate change, risk management, emergency communication, psychosocial intervention in emergency and pre-hospital medical emergency.
 
The Regional Secretary stressed that this will be a space to share ideas and solutions for the new challenges and realities that the impacts and effects of climate change are causing.
 
The debate on "New Challenges, Threats and Capabilities" is open to all interested parties, who should register at www.procivazores.gov.pt.
 
"Dealing with collective risks in their different forms and manifestations is not an exclusive responsibility assigned to the Azores Regional Service Civil Protection and Fire Service.  It is rather an obligation and responsibility of citizens as well as of public and private entities," said Rui Luís.
 
The guest speakers featured at this event are as follows: the Rescue Programme Director of the University of Texas, Paul Gunnels, the Emergency Coordinating Director of the Italian Civil Protection Department, Luigi D'Angelo, the President of the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and the Atmosphere, Jorge Miranda, and the 2nd Operational Commander of the National Civil Protection Authority, Patrícia Gaspar.
 
The Regional Secretary also emphasised that the programme of the congress includes a panel dedicated to emergency communication, noting that the media play a decisive role in education for citizenship and risk prevention.
 
"We hope that the opinions of experts with recognised expertise can raise the awareness of civil society," the Regional Secretary said, adding that the event will "help guiding the search for new solutions and the acquisition of new skills by all Civil Protection entities."
 
This event aims to create a sustained platform for the provision of responses to different risk situations.
 
"This meeting, which will be attended by about 200 participants, is in line with one of the main goals of Civil Protection: the promotion of a safety culture across society," Rui Luís.