The project HEATSAFE (Holistic EnvironmenTAl and Social Adaptation Framework for Extreme heat) directly tackles the need to adapt against climate change adverse effects in the whole Mediterranean area. The intensity of heatwaves is amplified in urban areas by factors such as the configuration of the city, the lack of vegetation or the materials of urbanized surfaces, so the strategy to mitigate their effects must be designed specifically for each territory.

Sociodemographic conditions must also be considered, as significant correlation between exposure to extreme heat and socioeconomic vulnerability has been shown, leading to nearly double the mortality risk in some deprived districts. This local complex planning cannot be addressed without a clear methodology. 

In this sense, HEATSAFE will address the most suitable ways to adapt these territories to these effects by developing key activities in Spain, Italy. Albania, Bulgaria and Greece, and with the aim of replicating project approach in the whole Mediterranean area. HEATSAFE will improve the prevention, mitigation and management of risks arising from increased frequency and intensity of extreme heat and heatwaves in the Mediterranean basin through the co-development of local action plans and the implementation of demonstrative pilot actions; complemented by a long-term strategy and open-source tools to establish heat vulnerability maps across the MED area.

The project will produce several outputs to achieve project objectives:

• Decision-making tool for policymakers to evaluate and prioritize heatwaves measures based on impact, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness.
• Governance structures for effective heatwaves management, including stakeholder mapping and engagement strategies, benefiting six Mediterranean regions.
• Local Action Plans in six pilot partners and five EU countries for heatwaves preparedness, response, communication, and recovery, aiding local authorities and communities.
• Testing activities in six Mediterranean areas will implement and evaluate solutions, resulting in a protocol for best practices to mitigate heatwaves which will benefit not only project partners, but the whole MED area through transferring and replication activities.
• Аn improved heatwaves planning and management strategy for the Mediterranean basin so the project approach can be adopted by other areas.

HEATSAFE will adopt a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach that integrates urban planning, public health, social equity, and environmental sustainability to develop and test methodologies and solutions for preventing heatwave risks in the Mediterranean urban context. The methodology is built upon 4 main ideas:

• Develop a heat vulnerability map for each project area, incorporating both physical and socioeconomic indicators, to inform action planning.
• Create new multi-level governance structures to ensure community engagement and participatory decision-making for contextually appropriate solutions.
• Test interventions based on cutting-edge research and best practices, focusing on climate shelters, immediate response solutions, and awareness-raising measures.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to build capacity, foster innovation, and facilitate knowledge exchange.

The proposed methodology will be tested in various European municipalities to validate its effectiveness and suggest improvements transferable to other Mediterranean areas. Implementing pilot actions in different countries will be crucial for comparing results and understanding local circumstances, enabling the sharing of findings and methodologies to maximise impact. The project will pool resources, share expertise among various actors, and align policies. Collaboration will help regions address challenges more effectively, enabling project results to be upscaled across the entire Mediterranean basin.

HEATSAFE's innovation lies in its direct approach to the complex, interconnected challenges that climate change presents in the Mediterranean region, utilising a comprehensive and interdisciplinary strategy. By incorporating socioeconomic factors into heat vulnerability maps, it exceeds current practices to deliver tailored solutions that address heatwave impacts and prioritise the most at-risk groups. HEATSAFE emphasises community engagement and participatory decision-making, establishing new governance structures that integrate urban planning, public health, social equity, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, HEATSAFE utilises cutting-edge research and best practices in its interventions while encouraging collaboration among diverse stakeholders to enhance capacity and facilitate knowledge exchange. This multi-faceted strategy not only effectively mitigates heatwave risks but also creates a replicable and scalable model for the entire Mediterranean region.

Partners: LP: Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, Spain  PP2: EuroVértice Consultants, Spain  PP3: Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Spain PP4: Municipality of Agii Anargiri – Kamatero, PP5: Association of South-Western Municipalities, PP6: Regional Council Durres, Albania PP7: Municipality of Arezzo,Italy PP8: National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece PP9:Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change Foundation, Italy 

Associated partners to ASWM: 1) Municipality of Blagoevgrad 2) Regional Administration Blagoevgrad

Donor: Interreg Euro Mediterranean VI B 2021-2027

Programme priority: 2 - Greener MED

Specific objective: RSO2.4 - Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

Budget: 2.413.791,40 EURO

Duration: 33 months (01-04-2025 - 23-12-2027)

Project website: https://heatsafe.interreg-euro-med.eu/ 

The Association of South-Western Municipalities (ASWM) took part in the inaugural partnership meeting of the project "Integrated Network for Disaster Management in the Danube Region" (InDiMaND), held in Budapest, Hungary. The project officially launched on April 1, 2025, and aims to strengthen coordination and cooperation among disaster response organizations across the Danube region.

Led by the Budapest Fire Protection Association, InDiMaND brings together 13 core partners, including ASWM, whose involvement is critical thanks to its established role among municipalities in South-Western Bulgaria and its strong partnerships with national and international institutions. ASWM’s extensive experience in environmental protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, volunteer training, and public awareness campaigns positions it as a key contributor to the initiative.

The project will produce two major strategic documents:

• A transnationally validated set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to harmonize disaster response efforts across participating countries.
• An Action Plan for Youth Engagement, aimed at fostering sustainable volunteer participation, especially among young people.

These outputs will be further enhanced and tailored to national contexts with the support of 17 associated strategic partners, ensuring their alignment with local legislation and broad applicability across more than 10 countries in the region. This collaborative approach will help ensure the long-term effectiveness of the strategies and improve disaster resilience throughout the Danube basin.

In addition to strategic development, InDiMaND will carry out various transnational exercises, training sessions, and public information campaigns designed to promote disaster readiness and volunteerism. One of the training sessions will take place in Bulgaria’s Blagoevgrad region.

ASWM is the lead partner for Activity 1.5, which focuses on creating a comprehensive framework for the adoption of the SOPs by relevant stakeholders. This framework will be developed collaboratively, allowing project partners to adapt and expand it to fit their regional and organizational needs.

InDiMaND is funded by the INTERREG VI-B Danube Region Programme 2021–2027, under Priority 2: "A greener, low-carbon Danube Region", Specific Objective 2: "Promoting climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches." The project will run for a total of 36 months.

The project InDiMaND aims are to establish a transnational, integrated disaster management network that enhances regional coordination, improves interoperability, and fosters sustainable volunteer participation - particularly among youth - by promoting harmonized procedures, testing joint response models, and equipping both institutional actors and civil society with the capacity to effectively and collaboratively respond to emergencies, thereby creating a scalable and sustainable framework across the Danube Region.

Specific objectives and activities of the project InDiMaND:

• Specific Objective 1 – Collaborative development of disaster response models. The project begins with an in-depth study of existing good practices and stakeholder mapping (A.1.1), followed by the collaborative development of common disaster preparedness models through transnational workshops and scenario design (A.1.2). These models are then tested through pilot discussion-based exercises (DBX) in five countries (A.1.3), which inform the development and validation of common standard operating procedures (SOPs) (A.1.4). The final step includes an action plan to support the adoption of these SOPs by relevant disaster management authorities across the region (A.1.5).
• Specific Objective 2 – Raising public awareness, the project aims to engage civil society, especially volunteers and young people, broadly. It starts by engaging stakeholders and volunteers through surveys and national consultations in nine countries (A.2.1), laying the foundation for a youth-focused volunteer engagement strategy and a comprehensive handbook (A.2.2). These findings are then translated into action through a region-wide awareness-raising campaign combining digital content, print materials and outreach events tailored to the national context (A.2.3).
• Specific Objective 3 – Strengthening response capacity, the focus shifts to operational preparedness. The project starts by mapping existing national capacities and defining a common list of minimum response requirements (A.3.1). To address training needs, it ensures the development and adaptation of e-learning content, supported by an upgraded knowledge platform and alert application (A.3.2). This is followed by a comprehensive training programme including train-the-trainers, local exercises and small-scale field simulations (A.3.3), all designed to ensure that SOPs are effectively practiced. Finally, transnational co-creation discussions bring together stakeholders in high-level roundtables to shape shared visions for disaster management and policy recommendations (A.3.4).

InDiMaND project results: The InDiMaND project directly improves disaster preparedness and response capacity across the Danube Region. These results include the formal adoption of two jointly developed strategies: a transnationally validated set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that harmonise disaster response practices, and an Action Plan for Youth Engagement that supports sustainable volunteer participation. Thirty disaster management and humanitarian organisations will strengthen their institutional capacity through coordinated participation in transnational cooperation activities, including international roundtables, simulation exercises and targeted training. These activities ensure that actors across sectors are aligned, trained and equipped to implement the newly developed protocols in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, the project generates at least one solution, such as the Integrated Volunteer Recruitment and Training Model or the SOP Framework, that is adopted or built upon by organisations outside the project partnership, thus ensuring long-term scalability and a wider regional impact.

ASWM as a project InDiMaND partner: The ASWM will actively participate in the development and implementation of four pilot actions aimed at intervening in different types of disasters in different geographical settings; will contribute to the development of a common standard operating procedure for transnational disaster management in the programme area. In addition, the ASWM will contribute to the joint development of an action plan for the implementation of the SOP. The participation of the ASWM will ensure that the action plan reflects the collective contribution and expertise of all project partners, promoting cohesive and coordinated cross-border disaster management efforts.

As a lead partner at Activity 1.5, ASWM will lead the creation of a comprehensive framework outlining concrete steps and actions for the adoption of SOPs by stakeholders. This framework will be shared with all project partners, who will have the opportunity to supplement and adapt the information according to their needs. Subsequently, the partners will collect feedback, and the completed local plans will be analysed, specific measures and steps for implementation will be indicated. ASWM will then analyse and systematise the local plans, culminating in the development of a Danube Region-wide Action Plan aimed at facilitating the widespread adoption of Standard Operating Procedures to bolster support for disaster management organisations. Concurrently, project partners will identify disaster management entities, with ASWM consolidating the information into a comprehensive list for the target area.

Project partners: Lead partner – Budapest Firefighter Association (Budapesti Tűzoltó Szövetség – BTSZ); Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta – PP2; National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria – PP3; Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski" – PP4; Association of South-Western Municipalities – PP5; Multisalva Association – PP6; Civil Protection Administration of the Republic of Srpska – PP7; Public institution Firefighting Center for Education and Technological Development Split – PP8; Association “Samaritan Slovakia – “PP9; Faculty of Technical Sciences University of Novi Sad – PP10; Firefighting Association of Slovenia – PP11; Harghita County Volunteer Firefighters Association – PP12; Ministry of Interior, Montenegro, Department of Direction for Operational Affairs – PP13.

Donor: Interreg Danube Region Programme 2021-2027

Priority 2: A greener, low-carbon Danube Region

Specific objective: 2.2 – Enhancing Disaster Risk Management and Resilience 

Promoting climate change adaptation capacities in the Danube Region and disaster management on a transnational level about environmental risks, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches

Budget: 1 965 425,00 EUR

Project Duration: 01-04-2025 – 31-03-2028

Website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/indimand    

The BRIDGE - Building Relationships Into a Democratic Goal for Europe project, made up of 11 organizations from 10 countries and was designed taking into account the territorial context – integration of cross-border organizations/municipalities. Based on this geographical reality, the consortium shares the same desire to promote cross-border citizenship and social cohesion across borders. This drive for cooperation is realized through addressing two of the main phenomena affecting the European Union: Euroscepticism and xenophobia. Given the extent of these problems across Europe, the consortium will have the opportunity to debate these issues and propose potential solutions and/or share best practices and experiences that each delegation adopts to address the phenomenon. Also aiming to strengthen the feeling of solidarity between European members and neighboring countries, reinforcing the spirit of solidarity among citizens, all debates and discussions will be held in a climate of cooperation. During the project's execution the partners will analyze the causes that fuel the widespread xenophobic feeling in many countries, presenting possible solutions to ensure that the European Union's cross-border regions can, through their own means, improve European citizenship. Solutions can be found in researching tools to combat ignorance, such as media literacy, counter narratives, as well as sharing cross-border projects that promote European citizenship.

Donor: EUROPE FOR CITIZENS PROGRAMME

Action - 2.1: Network of Towns

Project. Nº 612768-CITIZ-1-2019-1-PT-CITIZ-NT

Project value: 85000,00 Euro

Web page: https://bridgeeu.wordpress.com/ 

Partners details: https://bridgeeu.wordpress.com/partners/ 

Period: 24 months

PROJECT'S RESULTS - InfoTemplate

The Project “BRIDGE – Building Relationships Into a Democratic Goal for Europe” was promoted in 2019 by the Municipality of Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal. 

The main purpose of the Project was to involve pairs of neighboring European Organizations that are located on the border of two adjoining Countries.

In fact, it involved 11 Partners coming from 10 Countries. The partnership was composed by 5 pairs of bordering Countries, namely: Portugal/Spain (Vila Nova de Cerveira/Tomiño), Hungary/Slovakia (Borsod-abaúj-zemplén county government/Rozsnyó város), Latvia/Lithuania (Daugavpils/Panevėžys), Bulgaria/Serbia (Sdruzhenie na Yugozapadnite Obshtini/Dimitrovgrad), Slovenia (GECT GO) plus one partner from Cyprus (Deryneia) and one partner from Italy (Lighthouse Languages). 

The mentioned Organizations jointly chose to start the BRIDGE project with the same willingness to promote cross-border citizenship and social cohesion beyond borders. Besides this main objective, the Project chose also to focus on the analysis of two of the main phenomena that affect UE: Euroscepticism and Xenophobia. Since these problems can be found in most European Countries, the partners considered it appropriate to talk about them and to share potential solutions and best practices. In fact, the participants focused on the different internal ways to cope with these two phenomena: analysis of the causes that lead to these problems, how to deal with them, what solutions to be carried out, the expected solutions to ensure that EU transboundary regions can by its own means enhance European citizenship, etc. It turned out to be important to talk about these problems and to gather data, in order to have a full vision of the reality and to try to state a list of expectations for the Europe 2030 Programme.

All the debates and discussions were carried out in a cooperative mood since one of the objectives was to strengthen solidarity feeling among European Members and among adjoining Countries and to avoid a lack of solidarity among citizens. 

According to the initial proposal, the Project should have had a duration of 24 months, but it was extended to 36 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. 

In order to reach the expected objectives, BRIDGE foresaw the implementation of five International events, each one focused on a specific theme, namely:

• 1st International meeting on the border between Portugal and Spain (Vila Nova de Cerveira and  Tomiño) in October 2021, focused on “The Perception Of The European Union During The Crisis Due To Covid-19 Pandemic";

• 2nd International Meeting on the border between Hungary and Slovakia (Miskolc and Roznava), in March 2022, focused on “Evolution of cross-border relations: how the relations between cross-border countries changed in the last few years, sharing of good practices”
• 3rd International Meeting on the border between Italy and Slovenia (Gorizia and Nova Gorica), in May 2022, focused on “Cross-border cultural events/projects already done and projects that are not yet cross-border but could become”;

• 4th International Meeting on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia (Slivnitsa and Dimitrovgrad), in June 2022, focused on “Successful projects in the sphere of social, cultural, ecological and civil activities";
• 5th International Meeting on the border between Lithuania and Latvia (Panevėžys and Daugavpils), in September 2022, focused on “Legal difficulties in cross-border cooperation - how the national law can slow down some processes between neighboring Countries”.

These five events helped the partnership to reach the expected objectives, in particular, to strengthen the cooperation between cross-bordering Countries and to understand the differences and the difficulties of each one of these involved Organizations. 

Although the project has ended, the will to continue the work already carried out was expressed by all partner entities, striving to ensure more cohesive cross-border regions with the European Union. It should be noted that networking in cross-border regions undoubtedly contributes to raising awareness of the memory, history, and common values of the Union and the Union's purpose.

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Details about the First project meeting which took place in Vila Nova De Cerveira, Portugal - 20 - 24 October 2021

Details about the Second project meeting which took place in Hungary, from 22nd to 26th March, 2022.

Details about the Third project meeting which took place in the cities of Nova Gorica (Slovenia) / Gorizia (Italy) from 23rd - 26th MAY 2022 

Details about the Fourth project meeting which took place in the cities of Slivnitsa (Bulgaria)/Dimitrovgrad (Serbia) from 19th – 23th JUNE 2022

The project partners of the project AgriGo4Cities have been on the Kick off meeting on 14^th and 15^th February. The host of the meeting was Municipality of Velenje, Slovenia. Welcome speech was by ZRC SAZU director Dr. Oto Luthar. Also the project manager Dr. Jani Kozina made a project presentation

The project team was part of a study visit to the urban gardens in Velenje and made evaluation and discussion after that.

A presentation of Interreg Danube Transnational Programme by Joint Secretariat Project Officer Mr. Johannes Gabriel was made and he answered to the question of the project team.

More about the project you can find on the project web page: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/agrigo4cities