An important European recognition for the Interreg Italy–Slovenia Programme: the joint application featuring the projects KARST-SAFE, FIRESAFENET, CROSS ALERT and KARST FIREWALL 5.0 has been selected among the six finalists of the Interreg Slam 2026–2027, the Europe-wide storytelling competition organised by Interact that celebrates the most inspiring cooperation stories funded by Interreg Programmes. This edition of the competition has been the largest ever, with 71 submissions from 25 Interreg Programmes across Europe. Only six applications were selected to advance to the final stage.
The Interreg Italy–Slovenia Programme submission tells a single story through four projects united by a common challenge: strengthening the resilience of the cross-border Karst area in the face of increasing wildfire risks, further exacerbated by the effects of climate change. The summer of 2022, marked by devastating wildfires affecting both sides of the border, clearly demonstrated that environmental emergencies do not respect administrative boundaries. From this awareness emerged a shared response, built on cooperation between institutions, fire services, forestry authorities, researchers, and local communities in both Italy and Slovenia.
Each of the four projects addresses the challenge from a complementary perspective:
KARST-SAFE develops prevention measures and tools to enhance the safety of local communities and the territory;
FIRESAFENET establishes a cross-border early warning system integrating satellite imagery and artificial intelligence technologies to detect wildfire risk at an early stage;
CROSS ALERT creates a network of SOS points and digital tools to improve emergency management and the recovery of affected areas;
KARST FIREWALL 5.0 applies innovative technologies inspired by Industry 5.0 principles to strengthen the long-term resilience of forest ecosystems.
Together, these four projects tell a single story: that of a territory that has chosen to face a shared challenge through cross-border cooperation, demonstrating that the most effective response to wildfires is one built together. As stated in the campaign message:
“Fire does not speak Italian or Slovenian. Neither does our response.”
The full list of finalists is available on the Interreg.eu website:
Go to the list
Being selected as a finalist marks the beginning of a dedicated communication journey. In the coming months, the finalists will work with storytelling and audiovisual production professionals to create a professional video, which will showcase their story and become a key communication tool for the projects. The videos will also be featured in a social media campaign across Interreg channels, helping bring the stories and their tangible impact to a wider European audience. The award ceremony will take place in March 2027 during the Interreg Knowledge Fair, where the finalist stories will be presented and the winners of the Interreg Slam 2026–2027 will be announced.
Congratulations to the partners of all four projects for this outstanding achievement, which highlights the value of cross-border cooperation between Italy and Slovenia and the importance of telling stories that reflect people, places, and the real impact of Interreg projects.
