SYNERGIES: second Evaluation Workshop in Rotterdam and ATLAS presentation.

The second Evaluation Workshop of the SYNERGIES project was held in Rotterdam on April 8 and 9, 2025, as part of a series of three meetings designed to test and evaluate the project’s main outcomes through the direct involvement of local stakeholders and Advisory Board members.

The Rotterdam workshop focused on the application of SYNERGIES results in the context of the city’s Preparedness Case: an urban environment exposed to complex risks, including flooding, critical infrastructure issues, and high population density. The meeting was attended by 24 stakeholders from different organizations, including the Dutch Red Cross, the Safety Region of Rotterdam-Rijnmond, theenvironmental agency DCMR, the City of Rotterdam, and theDutch Institute for Public Safety. Two Advisory Board members, representatives from VOST Europe and DPPI SEE, also participated.

The workshop was spread over two days, each devoted to a specific theme. The first day focused on citizen engagement and integrating spontaneous volunteers into crisis management. The second day explored communication strategies to support preparedness and risk awareness. Project partners presented selected SYNERGIES results and collected feedback through guided discussions and a structured questionnaire.

Participants evaluated the relevance, usability, adaptability, and integration potential of the tools in the real-world context of preparation systems. They also reflected on how the SYNERGIES tools could complement their daily activities, whether they would recommend them to colleagues, and what changes could improve their accessibility and impact.

The information gathered during the workshop will help the consortium refine the solutions developed, making them even more useful and usable for all actors involved in disaster risk management. The Rotterdam experience confirms the importance of local involvement and co-assessment in designing effective resilience strategies.

And it was during this workshop that ISIG presented ATLAS to project partners and local industry stakeholders.

ATLAS had been introduced as a digital tool designed to support civil protection practitioners, stakeholders, and local authorities in more effectively engaging citizens and other stakeholders in disaster risk management (DRM) strategies and practices. During the workshop, ISIG had gathered valuable feedback from participants, which was useful in refining the platform ahead of its official launch.

A participation that had once again confirmed the Institute’s commitment to promoting collaborative approaches, innovative tools and solutions that strengthen community resilience.

Read theEVALUATION REPORT

Watch the video of the workshop