On 13 October 2026, the Seismological Research Centre (CRS) of OGS in Udine welcomed the Italian and Slovenian partners of the European project CONCORDIA, co-funded by the Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia Programme, for the project’s third General Meeting.
It was a day full of exchange and dialogue, devoted to sharing the results achieved, discussing ongoing activities and jointly planning the next steps. Held at the project’s halfway point, this was a particularly important meeting for strengthening a collaboration built around a common goal: helping to make the cross-border area between Italy and Slovenia safer and better prepared for the risks posed by earthquakes and the landslides they can trigger.
The morning opened with an overview of the project’s progress and upcoming deadlines, presented by the University of Trieste, the project’s lead partner, and OGS. The leaders of the different work packages then outlined the progress made and the main challenges still ahead. In the afternoon, partners met in thematic sessions. They explored the scientific and operational aspects of individual activities in greater depth and identified new opportunities for collaboration and for integrating the tools being developed. The day ended with a joint discussion, which confirmed that activities are progressing well ahead of the project’s planned conclusion in May 2027.
CONCORDIA’s activities range from strengthening the networks that monitor earthquakes and ground movements to developing shared tools to analyse earthquakes and rapidly assess their possible consequences. Particular attention is also paid to indirect effects, such as landslides and rockfalls, and to estimating potential damage to buildings and infrastructure. What links these areas is the aim of turning data and scientific knowledge into timely information and practical tools for civil protection, institutions and local communities. This work is supported by training and outreach initiatives that encourage the sharing and use of the results.
Above all, the Udine meeting was an opportunity to look at the project as a whole, highlighting not only the results of individual activities but also the connections between them. By integrating different areas of expertise and sharing data, methods and tools, CONCORDIA aims to build an increasingly effective approach to natural risk assessment.
The day thus reaffirmed the value of scientific and institutional cooperation between Italy and Slovenia: a shared commitment to understanding the territory better, sharing information and developing practical solutions for the safety of communities.
Because natural hazards do not stop at borders, and neither should the cooperation needed to address them.
