Cross-border civil protection workshops will take place on April 2 and 3 in Skarinou, aiming to strengthen community resilience and public participation in disaster preparedness.

The workshops, held at the Environmental Information Centre of Rural Larnaca, are organised within the ACT4ALL project and will bring together 25 participants from Cyprus and Crete, including representatives of local authorities and volunteer organisations.

Speaking to CNA, Anna Kosma, an official at the Larnaca–Famagusta Development Company, said the initiative focuses on exchanging expertise and best practices, enhancing cross-border cooperation, and improving readiness for natural disasters.

The ACT4ALL project, funded under the Interreg VI-A Greece–Cyprus 2021–2027 programme, seeks to boost citizen engagement and strengthen operational preparedness in response to increasing climate-related risks.

Kosma said the project includes training programmes for citizens and volunteers, awareness campaigns, and the development of digital tools to better coordinate volunteer efforts.

She added that pilot preparedness exercises will also be carried out to test response plans under real conditions.

“The aim is to build more resilient and better-prepared communities through cooperation, skills development and active citizen participation,” she said.