Final Conference in Bari to showcase project results and shape the future of cross-border Civil Protection cooperation
On 28 September 2026, the Puglia Region – Civil Protection Section will host the HANDY Final Conference in Bari, bringing together project partners, Civil Protection representatives and institutional stakeholders from Italy and Croatia to share the achievements of the project and discuss future perspectives for cross-border cooperation.
The event will take place at the Puglia Region headquarters, Meeting Room “Di Jeso”, Lungomare Nazario Sauro 33, starting at 10:00 a.m.
After two and a half years of joint activities, training, practical exercises, investments and exchange of experience across the Adriatic, the Final Conference will provide an opportunity to look back at the work carried out through HANDY and, above all, to reflect on how the knowledge and cooperation developed within the project can continue beyond its conclusion.
Following the institutional welcome, the first session, “HANDY in action: results, impact and benefits for the territories”, will bring together representatives of the project partners to present the main achievements of HANDY and highlight the benefits generated in the participating territories.
The session will provide a shared overview of how HANDY has translated cross-border cooperation into concrete actions, strengthening capacities and creating opportunities for Civil Protection organisations on both sides of the Adriatic to learn, train and work together.
A central part of the conference will be dedicated to “Strengthening Civil Protection through training and cross-border cooperation”.
The session will broaden the discussion beyond the individual project activities, looking at the role of training, preparedness and cooperation within the European Civil Protection framework and at the added value that cross-border initiatives such as HANDY can bring to territories facing common risks and emergency-management challenges.
The discussion will feature high-level contributions from the Italian National Civil Protection Department and the Croatian Civil Protection Directorate, reinforcing the connection between the experience developed through HANDY and the wider framework of Civil Protection cooperation between the two countries.
The Final Conference will not only look back at what has been achieved. The closing session, “The HANDY legacy: a shared strategy for future cross-border cooperation”, will turn the discussion towards the future.
The HANDY Strategy and its main priorities will be presented, providing a common framework for strengthening cooperation, preparedness and response capacities and for giving continuity to the experience and knowledge developed during the project.
With the contribution of the Interreg Italy–Croatia Joint Secretariat and all project partners, the session will offer an opportunity to discuss how the results achieved can be capitalised on and how the cooperation established through HANDY can continue to support more coordinated and resilient Civil Protection systems across the Adriatic.