“Resilience Starts at Home”: Italy hosts conference on disaster risk reduction

The High-Performance Computing for Disaster Resilience (HPC4DR) consortium, in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche, is organizing a public meeting as part of the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The event will bring together institutions, social organizations, businesses, researchers, students and other interested participants to explore how research, innovation, training and knowledge sharing can strengthen disaster resilience at the local level.

The 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction theme, “Resilience Starts at Home,” highlights the importance of resilience in homes, families, neighbourhoods and local communities. It emphasizes safer buildings, prepared citizens and effective local governance that can identify and prevent risks before they become disasters.

Background

Experts from academia, Civil Protection, local authorities and technical professions will discuss seismic and hydrogeological risks, climate change, risk communication and the use of artificial intelligence in early warning and emergency management. Speakers will include experts from national and international universities and research institutions, such as the United Nations University (UNU-CRIS), UNIVPM, UNICAM, UNIMOL and INAF.

The event will examine how scientific research and technological innovation can support disaster risk reduction and strengthen the capacity of communities and local authorities. Particular attention will be given to the role of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, digital technologies and risk communication in improving understanding of hazards and supporting timely decision-making.

The meeting will also promote dialogue between academic and non-academic stakeholders, connecting research and innovation with the needs of local communities.

Thematic Focus

The programme will be structured around four complementary pillars:

• Research: Presenting studies on climate change, seismic risk, hydrogeological risk, risk communication and artificial intelligence applied to warning systems.
• Innovation: Showcasing digital tools, sensors, forecasting models and decision-making support platforms for municipalities.
• Training: Engaging students, PhD students and young researchers through activities focused on prevention culture and community resilience.
• Social enhancement of knowledge: Strengthening dialogue between universities, municipalities, Civil Protection agencies, schools, associations and citizens, with a focus on research serving local communities and emerging challenges in risk communication.

Participation

The meeting is free and open to institutions, social organizations, businesses and interested individuals from both within and outside the academic community. It provides an opportunity for researchers, professionals, students, local authorities, Civil Protection stakeholders and community organizations to exchange knowledge and explore practical approaches to disaster risk reduction.

The Orders of Engineers and Architects and the College of Surveyors will issue professional training credits to eligible participants.