One hundred and fifty citizens representing all European Union member states convened online from April 24 to 26 for the second session of the European Citizens’ Panel on Preparedness. The primary objective of the gathering is to develop concrete strategies detailing how EU populations can enhance their readiness for future crises and shocks. These discussions aim to ensure that actions taken under the EU preparedness union strategy are both inclusive and directly responsive to the needs of the citizenry.
Participants deepened the exploration of key priorities identified during earlier sessions. Core areas of focus include bolstering citizen engagement, promoting education, fostering solidarity and inclusion, maintaining the integrity of communication—specifically combating disinformation—and refining crisis management protocols across Europe. Among the attendees were four representatives from Bulgaria, who joined the deliberations from Sofia, Burgas, Isperih, and Reberkovo.
Antoaneta Petkova, a participant from Reberkovo, addressed the panel, expressing hope that the group—which included members from Germany, Italy, and Czechia—would continue advocating for the introduction of comprehensive educational training for all ages. This training would cover both theoretical knowledge and practical crisis response skills. Petkova also noted that the panel would discuss four additional proposals related to disaster and crisis response.
The involvement of these Bulgarians underscores the broad cross-section of European expertise contributing to the overall goal of enhanced preparedness. The dialogue among citizens is vital to shaping a resilient Union framework that anticipates and mitigates future risks. The panel’s website provides live coverage of the plenary sessions for interested parties.
Topics: #citizens #preparedness #bulgarians
