Societal resilience, engagement of the younger generations and digital innovation for disaster resilience

The EU-wide funded research program aims to sustainably strengthen societal resilience to climate and health emergencies. The focus is on the digital activation of younger generations (ages 13–30) as well as the development of interactive educational formats and gamification approaches. Public institutions, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and companies from at least three EU member states or associated countries can apply together with at least two civil society organizations and two youth NGOs. Vulnerable groups and local actors must be involved in project implementation, while satellite-based Earth observation using Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS is to be employed. All relevant expenses are funded at 100% (personnel, material costs, subcontractor services, travel expenses) up to €3 million per project. Submissions of the application form, project description, financing plan, and CV are possible until 04.11.2027.

Funding is provided for research and innovation in disaster protection, digitalization, as well as education and training for the development of digital tools for preventive and reactive measures. Projects should build interdisciplinary teams to embed open science principles, equality, and inclusive participation. Key evaluation criteria include the level of innovation, involvement of target groups and stakeholders, and potential for impact and dissemination. The goal is to empower local authorities and civil society to jointly implement preventive measures with youth and develop effective recovery strategies in crisis situations. With this initiative, the European Commission promotes social cohesion, democratic engagement, and digital innovation capacity for sustainable disaster resilience.