HANDY Final Conference: A journey that comes to an end, a cooperation that continues
01/10/2026
On 28 September 2026, the Presidency of Puglia Region in Bari hosted the Final Conference of HANDY, organized by the Civil Protection Section of Puglia Region, Lead Partner of the project.
The event marked the concluding stage of a journey lasting almost three years, during which Italian and Croatian Civil Protection authorities and structures worked together to strengthen specialist skills, preparedness and response capacity to emergencies linked to climate change.
Looking back at HANDY and ahead to future cooperation
The Final Conference brought together institutional representatives, project partners and experts to review the results achieved, share the experiences developed in the different territories and reflect on the future of the cooperation launched through the project.
The event opened with institutional greetings by Debora Ciliento, Councillor for Environment and Climate of Puglia Region, who highlighted the close relationship between environmental protection, climate policies and Civil Protection. Her contribution also focused on the work being carried out by Puglia Region in the field of climate change adaptation and on the importance of European cooperation as a means of connecting territories and expertise and facilitating the exchange and transfer of experiences developed at local level.
The technical discussion was opened by Barbara Valenzano, Head of the Civil Protection Section of Puglia Region, who stressed the central role of training and cooperation in dealing with increasingly complex risks that do not stop at administrative or national borders. She also expressed her satisfaction with the work carried out by the Section in coordinating HANDY and with the commitment demonstrated throughout the entire cooperation process.
Particular attention was devoted to the role of Civil Protection volunteers, a fundamental component of the emergency response system, and to the need to make training a continuous process, capable of evolving together with risks, technologies and the changing needs of territories.
This perspective was further developed by Nicola Lopane, Director of the Civil Protection and Emergency Management Department of Puglia Region, who underlined the importance of transforming the results achieved through HANDY into a lasting asset for the regional Civil Protection system.
The conference also included contributions from Francesco Vito Ronco, HANDY Project Manager and representative of the Regional Civil Protection Operations Room, and Fabio D’Amato, Head of the Maritime Emergency Operations Centre – COEMM at the Situations Room of the Italian National Civil Protection Department.
The maritime dimension represents a particularly significant area for cooperation across the Adriatic. In this context, coordination between authorities, the preparedness of operators and the sharing of procedures, expertise and operational experience are essential to strengthen the effectiveness of emergency response.
The discussion was also joined by the Civil Protection Directorate of the Republic of Croatia, whose contribution further strengthened the cross-border dimension of the event and the exchange between the Italian and Croatian national Civil Protection systems. Its participation highlighted once again the value of cooperation between the two countries in addressing common risks and strengthening preparedness on both sides of the Adriatic.
The contribution of the HANDY partners
A substantial part of the event was dedicated to the project partners, who presented the main activities implemented in their territories and shared the results, experiences and skills developed throughout the project.
Their contributions highlighted the value of cross-border cooperation as an opportunity to exchange approaches, strengthen specialist knowledge and build closer links between the Civil Protection systems operating on the two shores of the Adriatic.
The event also featured an intervention by the Mayor of the Municipality of Aquileia, one of the HANDY project partners, further highlighting the contribution of local authorities to the cooperation process and to the implementation of the project activities.
The conference was also attended by Mauro Novello, representing the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Italy-Croatia Programme, who contributed to the discussion with a focus on the capitalisation of project results and future cooperation opportunities.
A conclusion that looks to the future
The HANDY Final Conference was therefore much more than a closing event.
It provided an opportunity to assess a cooperation process based on training, preparedness, operational capacity and knowledge exchange, while also looking ahead to how the experiences and relationships developed during the project can continue to support the Civil Protection systems of Italy and Croatia.
As climate-related risks become increasingly complex and interconnected, the experience of HANDY confirms the importance of maintaining strong channels of cooperation between institutions, emergency services, operators and volunteers across borders.
The conclusion of the project therefore represents not only the end of an important shared journey, but also a starting point for future cooperation between Civil Protection systems on the two shores of the Adriatic.
