Gelsenkirchen | 🗓️ 17–18 February 2026
The first DARE in-person workshop successfully brought together practitioners, public authorities, researchers and volunteer organisations from across Europe to advance interoperability in large-scale and cross-border emergency response.
Over two intensive days, participants collaborated within five thematic Communities of Practice: Command & Control, Wildfires, Floods, Volunteers & Citizens, and Cities, to map and harmonise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and to define user-driven requirements for the DARE situational awareness dashboard.
Key highlights
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A hands-on opening session using LEGO®, enabling participants to align on a shared understanding of what “better interoperability” means in real cross-country deployments.
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In-depth break-out sessions focused on refining SOP templates, identifying harmonisation potential, and selecting priority procedures for further development.
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A structured mapping of existing digital solutions and the identification of critical information gaps in the context of large-scale incidents and UCPM activations.
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The concrete specification of dashboard functionalities, information layers and user needs, firmly grounded in operational practice.
The workshop concluded with a shared outlook on next steps, establishing a solid foundation for the continued co-development of operationally relevant, user-centred tools to strengthen European disaster risk management capacities.
Thank you to all participants and facilitators for their active engagement and valuable contributions. The insights generated in Gelsenkirchen will directly feed into the next phases of the DARE project.
