The Civil Protection Faculty, a pioneering project led by the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), was launched in Helsinki on 24 November 2023, aiming to channel Baltic Sea Region (BSR) expertise on civil protection into Ukrainian education.
This project originated from the EUSBSR conference on cooperation with Ukraine in December 2022. As coordinators of PA Secure and PA Education of EUSBSR, CBSS, MSB, and Association Norden committed to utilizing their extensive networks to collate best practices from BSR countries in tactical and emergency medicine, mine safety, psychological resilience, and democratic citizen engagement.
The Civil Protection Faculty marks a significant step in equipping Ukrainian educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate and mitigate the challenges posed by the current Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, fostering a more resilient and informed society.
“Being able to benefit from the Swedish experience in demining, the Estonian expertise in search and rescue, and the Finnish volunteer management programmes will make Ukrainians better first responders and significantly enhance the resilience of Ukrainians,” said a Ukrainian delegate from Ukrainian NGO Folk High School Vovchok, acknowledging the value of BSR contributions.
The Civil Protection Faculty project is funded by the Swedish Institute Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme