Strategic Partnership in Plovdiv: Science and Institutions Join Efforts for Crisis and Disaster Management

On November 4, 2025, a workshop was held at the Regional Administration – Plovdiv on the topic: “Space Technologies and Innovations in Support of Effective Crisis and Disaster Management”. The event was organized by the Center for National Security and Defence Research (CNSDR) at the Academy, jointly with the Regional Administration – Plovdiv and the General Directorate “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Regional Governor of Plovdiv Region, Prof. Hristina Yancheva, opened the meeting. The event was attended by experts and representatives of ministries, municipalities, the scientific community and public organizations from the region. A special greeting to the participants was delivered by Mrs. Roya Ayazi, Secretary General of NEREUS – Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies. In August 2025, “Risk-Space-Transfer” (RST) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences officially joined NEREUS as an associate member.

The Workshop demonstrated the growing importance of cooperation between science and government institutions in addressing the effects of climate change. Within the session “Space and Innovative Technologies in Crisis and Disaster Management”, moderated by Corresponding Member Stefan Hadzhitodorov, space applications were presented as a strategic tool for prevention, early warning and protection of the population and critical infrastructure. Senior Commissioner Vasil Dimov, Director of the Regional Directorate “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” – Plovdiv, presented the technologies and data that the Directorate uses in its operational activities, emphasizing the need for integration with already existing innovative technological solutions in institutes and the research community. A good example of technology transfer from science to end-users are the municipalities of Gabrovo and Burgas, which participate in European projects to address the adverse effects of climate change. Their successful experience in using climate risk assessment tools within the VALORADA project was presented in the second part of the Workshop, as a proven model with high potential for multiplication in other Bulgarian municipalities.

The Workshop “Space Technologies and Innovations in Support of Effective Crisis and Disaster Management” laid the foundations for the future development of the regional capacity for using sustainable and technology-based solutions for crisis and disaster management. Mr. Kamen Iliev, Director of CNSDR, emphasized that the Plovdiv region has historical and geographical prerequisites for establishing a regional Center for Natural Disaster and Crisis Management through the transfer of innovative technologies.

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