shaping a disaster–resilient European Union

the challenge

The European Civil Protection Forum (ECPF) convenes every two years to bring together stakeholders of the civil protection community, with the aim of addressing pressing policy and operational questions. The gathering  seeks to foster future developments within the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (which includes EU countries and 10 other participating states), to facilitate networking opportunities, inspire innovation, and enhance collaboration among participants in the field of disaster risk management and preparedness.

Following the success of past editions, the eighth ECPF – which took place in June 2024 in Brussels – was planned to host over 1500 participants, including government representatives, local, national, and regional civil protection authorities, first responders, EU institutions, academics, private sector stakeholders, and the media.

Under the theme “Shaping a disaster-resilient Union: charting a path for the future of European civil protection,” the two-day event served as a platform to explore strategies for strengthening the EU’s crisis response capabilities, particularly in the face of the rising frequency of extreme weather events such as flooding, deadly wildfires, and droughts.

Action’s specialised public sector team was commissioned by DG ECHO to oversee the media relations campaign for the ECPF 2024. Key activities included: developing a dedicated media corner section on the event’s website; drafting media advisories for distribution to targeted outlets prior to the event; compiling media lists; conducting pre-event media relations exercises; coordinating interviews with key speakers; managing media engagement during and after the event.

Additionally, our team handled media relations for the Manneken-Pis dressing ceremony, where the iconic Brussels statue was adorned with a EU civil protection response uniform. This symbolic act aimed to highlight the crucial role of the European Civil Protection and its workers in responding to and managing disasters, while safeguarding the well-being and safety of European citizens.

our approach

Action Public Sector devised a dynamic media strategy for the ECPF 2024, centred around the key milestones of the overall communications campaign. This approach ensured a well-coordinated and consistent flow of information at every stage of the event’s promotion.

The strategy employed a multi-level approach, encompassing a broad spectrum of media outlets, from local and national channels to international and pan-European platforms. By integrating this diverse mix of media sources, Action was able to ensure that the ECPF 2024 message resonated across various regions and demographics, effectively capturing the attention of key audiences throughout Europe and beyond.

Action’s in-depth understanding of the EU media market was significantly bolstered by its extensive network of agencies operating across member states. This collaboration enabled us to tailor our media outreach to different contexts.

Photos: UCPKN, ECPF 2024 © European Union, 2024