One of the important points of international or cross-border cooperation is the involvement of regional authorities and emergency services with the aim of empowering local communities and organizations to deal with this cross-border challenge with shared knowledge, tools and coordinated cross-border measures. For this reason, in each pilot region workshops need to be held to involve to a greater extent the key stakeholders.
On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, in cooperation with the Forestry Institute of Slovenia, we held a cross-border regional workshop in the pilot region of Goriška/Friuli (SLO/ITA) that addressed four key topics of dealing with the risk of wildfires and managing the consequences, namely prevention, preparedness, intervention and action after a fire.
For each topic, we highlighted good practice and problems that occur on one or the other side of the border, as well as legal-formal, organizational and implementation problems in cross-border cooperation. Through the workshop, we obtained key information for further addressing existing problems at the national and cross-border level, and above all, we came to the conclusion that we can improve the existing situation in the cross-border area only through mutual cooperation. The findings of the workshop will be used as a basis for the preparation of an action plan for cross-border cooperation between the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia on the Italian side and Goriška on the Slovenian side.
Important professional stakeholders from both sides of the border took part in the workshop, namely from the Italian side the University of Trieste, the Municipality of Monfalcone, the Municipality of Venice, the Institute for International Sociology in Gorica, the Forest Service of the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Civil Protection of Monfalcone, and from the Slovenian side, in addition to the organizers, the Forestry Institute of Slovenia and the Municipality of Ajdovščina, as well as the Nova Gorica Fire Department, IGEA d. o. o., the regional branches of Forestry Institute (Sežana, Tolmin), the regional branches of the Administration for Protection and Disaster Relief, Postojna Fire Department and Ajdovščina Fire Department.