World Civil Defence Day celebration promotes debate in Porto

World Civil Defence Day, or World Civil Protection Day was created by decision of the International Civil Defence Organisation - ICDO General Assembly in 1990 and it is celebrated every year on March, 1st. This Day commemorates the entry into force of the ICDO Constitution as an intergovernmental organisation in 1972.

In 2017, the theme for the World Civil Defence Day celebration is "Together with civil defence against disasters" and its main goal is to call the attention on the vital importance of Civil Protection as well as on the significance of the preparedness and mitigation strategies and measures that should be in place in order to coping with emergencies rapidly and effectively.

The Civil Protection Day is also celebrated to pay tribute to the efforts and accomplishments of all national agencies engaged in civil protection services.

This year, the city of Porto provided an opportunity to take stock of the development of civil protection structures and of the technical means and equipment currently available, by organising a debate on this years's topic: "Civil Protection against disasters", at the Porto Innovation Hub facilities.

A panel of experts was invited to debate the importance of coordinating efforts by national authorities, civil defence services, mass media and civilian populations to prevent disasters in an efficient manner and to combat not only environment and natural calamities but also man-made disasters.