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The European Centre for Risk Prevention - ECRP

Address: 1000 Sofia, 4 Vitosha Blvd. , PO Box. 862, Bulgaria

Creation  

1997

STRUCTURE

President: Prof. Dimitar Yonchev

President of the Scientific Committee:  Prof. Nansen Behar

Director: Civil Engineer Kolio Kolev

Permanent staff of the Center:  1 person

OBJECTIVES 

The main objectives of the Centre are:

. to organise activities related to risk prevention – risk sciences, legal aspects, playing and policies.

. to support and coordinate activities related  with risk prevention - Cultural heritage and harmonization with good European practices.

. to improve the level of information and adequate reaction of the population in crisis situation, specially through the education or training systems at school level.

. to increase the awareness of decision-makers in order to establish a safer world at national, European and international levels.

. to develop European cooperation in the field of scientific research, evaluation and dissemination of experience in risk prevention training and crisis management at school level.

MAIN ACTIVITIES 

PREVENTION

. Improve prevention and preparedness and promote good governance.

. Evaluate and establish a risk mapping and use information in spatial planning.

. Improve environmental resilience and asses increased risk from climate change.

. Improve governance of disaster risk reduction.

. Promote the creation of national platform in the framework of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction.

. Identify problems and vulnerabilities.

. Promote appropriate policies and improve governance of prevention and response.

EDUCATION

. Promote research and use of knowledge in disaster risk reduction.

. Activities linked to education and training wish to: promote a better culture of risk and, provide better information on environmental security and risks situations. The combined education and family life and school levels is the basic knowledge which civilians use to respond to emergency situations.

. Pupils should then acquire, according to their age group, a minimum knowledge and basic practical skills for protection: gain positive motivation to respond in due time and render help in case of disaster to overcome the orientation among people; have positive attitude towards carrying out preventive activities for protection implemented by the corresponding organization.

. Furthermore, they contribute to the training of other population at least by conveying basic knowledge and practical skills, which remain in the mind of a greater part of the population.

Culture of risk

University training

  The New Bulgarian University - The center for study and security (Sofia), 2009-1011:

- Bachelor program “Civil and Corporative security” with elements of Crisis Management.

- Doctoral programs

RESEARCH

· Participation in the International Project “Risk Sciences: Employment and Training”,1996;

· Contribution to the International Project (DAPHNE 2 program) “Violence at schools”, 2004/05.

. Project DRACE – “Danube a river for all, care for everybody” 2006-2011

. Development of the Portal DRACE – http://www.drace-project.org   2007-2011

OTHER

Active engagement in the development of the creation of a Civil Defense Training Institute in Kosovo (2000-2001).

Collaboration (with the relevant Bulgarian authorities) to set-up a new operational crisis room for the Sofia Municipality (since 2004).

Publications

· Textbook for the schools (and its adapted edition for UN);

· Publications of conference materials organized by the CSLT;

· Block 6 of the “School of Civil Protection Handbook”, EUR-OPA/OIM, 2001

· Specific contributions in collective works:

- Risk sciences: employment and training;

- Comparative study of regulations on major risk management;

- National approaches of disaster management information requirements.

conferences

· First European Conference “Risk Sciences: training at school level”, 20–22 March 1997, Sofia;

. International seminar: “Risk Prevention training at school level – Pedagogical aspects”, Sofia, 1999

· Third European Conference “The School Communities and risk management”, 13-15 January 2000, Sofia;

· Seminar: “Safety of the education process and of the workplace in school building”, 11-12 December 2000, Sofia;

. Seminar: “Euro-Mediterranean network of schools for risk prevention and safety”(EDUMED), Sofia, 2000;

. Seminar: “The comparative analysis of Risk Prevention Legislation”, Sofia, 2001

. Seminar: Children’s security in Public Buildings and Crowded areas”, Sofia, 2002

·  Seminar “Disaster Awareness with the use of Internet”, 2003, Sofia;

.  Seminar: “Comparative analyses of legislation on the Balkans”, Sofia, 2003;

.  Seminar: “Coordination Centre for Risk Management”, Sofia, 2004

·  Seminar “Volunteer-Firemen”, 2004, Sofia;

·  Conference “Education, Defense and Security”, 9 July 2004, Sofia;

·  Conference : “NATO enlargement, strengthening security and protection of individuals”, 9-10 September 2004, Sofia;

·  Workshop on “Radio Risk” joint project with the Bulgarian National Radio, 11 October 2004, Sofia.

.  Seminar: “Coordination Centre for Risk Management of Sofia Municipality”, Sofia, 2005;

.  Seminar: “Danube river of all, care of everybody”(Project DRACE), Sofia, 2007;

.  Conference: “Regional cooperation in region of Black sea and river Danube”(DRACE), Sofia, 2007;

.  Seminar: “Danube a river for all, care for everybody – Radio broadcasts”(DRACE), Sofia, 2009;

.  Balkan Conference: “Security Strategies and Policies”, Sofia, 2010

.  Workshop “River Danube – culture heritage in flood”, Sofia, 2011

.  Project “Regional Centre for Security” - 2011