Current and Foreseen security operations:
Challenges and Capability Gaps
30th and 31st of October, 2023, Athens, Greece
The final event of the Mediterranean practitioners’ network capacity building for effective response to emerging security challenges (MEDEA), took place in Athens, Greece on the 30th and 31st of October, 2023.
The event was supported by the IFAFRI forum and addressed the topic of “Current and Foreseen Security Operations: Challenges and Capability Gaps”.
During the first day of the event the focus was placed on the project’s final results and outcomes, while during the second day, a marketplace was launched showcasing technological solutions ready to use in different security operations.
The event targeted practitioners, policy makers, and the industry related to the four following categories:
- “Management of Migration Flows and Asylum seekers”
- “Border management”
- “Fight against cross border crime and terrorism”
- “Natural Hazards and Technological Accidents”
FIRST DAY
30/10/2023
During the first day of the event the focus was placed on the MEDEA project’s results and achievements.
KEMEA’s Director General, Ms. Panagiota Papapostolou, welcomed the attendees of the #MEDEA Final Event.
Mr. Giannis Skiadaresis SSRI Area Coordinator of DG Home, delivered a keynote speech on the scope and importance of projects like MEDEA.
Mr. George Kokkinis, MEDEA Project‘s coordinator, presented the project’s findings and lessons learned.
First Panel Session: “Security Practitioners capability gaps, challenges and future threats”
Mr. Pierantonios Papazoglou (CERIDES – Center of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences) introduced the moderator and panelists of the first panel, where the impact and added value of the project was presented to the audience.
Moderator: Genny Dimitrakopoulou – Center for Security Studies (KEMEA)
Panelists
José María González Riera – #FUNDEA
Patricia Romeyro Mascarenhas – SatCen
Vlad Olaru – #IGPR
Monica Crisan – Croce Rossa Italiana
Freideriki Makri – Center for Security Studies (KEMEA)
Second Panel Session: “Secure Communication systems for complex operations”
Mr. Pierantonios Papazoglou (CERIDES – Center of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences) once again introduced to the audience the moderator and panelists of the second session.
Moderator: Giannis Skiadaresis – #DGHome, European Commission
Panelists
David Lund – Public Safety Communication Europe (PSCE)
Jeremy Zollo – First Responder Network Authority
Fredrik Ryberg – Swedish Police Authority
Thomas Basioukas – Europol
Ms. Danai Kazantzidou-Firtinidou from the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA) presented the project’s Capability gaps related to Natural Disasters’ management.
Mr. Georgios Sakkas from the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA) presented the Interplay between the MEDEA Project and other Networks of Practitioners.
Mr. Pedro Aqua from #MDN wrapped up the first day with his closing remarks.
To conclude the first day’s sessions, Mr. George Kokkinis and Mr. Ron McNeal made an introduction to the second day’s sessions.
The perfect closing for the first day of the MEDEA Project‘s Final Event was a guided museum tour at the Athens War Museum!
SECOND DAY
31/10/2023
During the second day, a solutions marketplace was launched showcasing technological products ready to be utilised in different security operations.
First panel: “Similarities between MEDEA Project and IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation gaps”
Moderator: Georgios Sakkas – Center for Security Studies (KEMEA)
Panelists
Vasileios (Vasilis) Kazoukas – Hellenic Fire Service Official Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα Ελλάδας
Michelle Royal – IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation
A very interesting interview “Next Generation Responder Technologies” took place in the second day of our event.
Moderator: Gerry Doucette – IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation
First Responder
Harris Georgiou – Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica – Ελληνική Ομάδα Διάσωσης Αττικής
IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation Technology pitch presentations.
Last but not least, the #IFAFRI panel “Future Emergency Management” was the perfect ending of the two-day joint event.
Moderator: Ron McNeal – IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation
Panelists
Daniel Cotter – IFAFRI – International Forum to Advance First Responder Innovation
Evrim Bunn – FEMA
Red Grasso – FirstTech Computer
Panagiotis Giannopoulos – Hellenic Fire Service Official Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα Ελλάδας
Vasileios (Vasilis) Kazoukas – Hellenic Fire Service Official Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα Ελλάδας
Thank you all for joining us!
Venue: War Museum, Athens (Ioannis Kapodistrias Auditorium)
Dates: 30 & 31 October 2023
Day 1: | 30-Oct-23 | |
09:00 – 09:30 | Arrival and Registration | |
09:30 – 09:40 | Welcome & Opening Speech | Panagiota Papapostolou Director General of KEMEA |
09:40 – 10:00 | Keynote speaker | Giannis Skiadaresis (EC) |
10:00 – 10:40 | Project overview, Findings & Lessons Learned | George Kokkinis (KEMEA) |
10:40 – 11:00 | Coffee Break | |
11:00 – 12:45 | Panel Session I: “Security Practitioners capability gaps, challenges and future threats” | |
Welcome and Panel scope and objectives (5 mins) | Pierantonios Papazoglou (EUC) | |
Moderator: | Genny Dimitrakopoulou (KEMEA) | |
Panelists: | Jose M. González Riera (FUNDEA – TCP1 Leader) | |
Patricia Romeyro (SatCen – TCP2 Representative) | ||
Vlad Olaru (IGPR – TCP3 Leader) | ||
Monica Crisan (CRI – TCP 4 Representative) | ||
Freideriki Makri (KEMEA – future scenarios) | ||
12:45 – 14:00 | Lunch Break | |
14:00 – 15:30 | Panel Session II: Secure Communication systems for complex operations | |
Welcome and Panel scope and objectives (5 mins) | Pierantonios Papazoglou (EUC) | |
Moderator: | Giannis Skiadaresis (EC) | |
Panelists: | David Lund (PSCE) | |
Jeremy Zollo (First Net Authority) | ||
Fredrik Ryberg (Swedish Police Authority) | ||
Thomas Basioukas (Europol) | ||
15:30 – 15:45 | MEDEA Capability gaps related to Natural disasters | Danai Kazantzidou-Firtinidou (KEMEA) |
15.45 – 16.00 | Interplay between MEDEA and other NOPs | Georgios Sakkas (KEMEA) |
16:00 – 16.15 | Closing Remarks & Wrap up | Pedro Agua (MDN) |
16:15 – 16.30 | Introduction to day 2 | George Kokkinis (KEMEA) / Ron McNeal (IFAFRI) |
16:30 – 18.00 | Museum Tour | All |
18.00 – 20.00 | Social Drinks | All |
Day 2: | 31-Oct-23 |
|
|
| |
08.30 – 09.00 | Arrival and Registration |
|
09:00 – 09:30 | Panel: Similarities between MEDEA and IFAFRI gaps | |
Moderator: | Georgios Sakkas (KEMEA) | |
Panelists: | Vasileios Kazoukas (Fire Service) | |
Michelle Royal (IFAFRI) | ||
09:30 – 10:00 | First Responder Interview: Next Generation Responder Technologies | |
Moderator | Gerry Doucette (IFAFRI) | |
First Responder | Harris Georgiou (Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica) | |
10:00 – 10:20 | Coffee Break | |
10:20 – 13:00 | IFAFRI Technology pitch presentations | |
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | |
14:00 – 16:00 | Solutions Marketplace | |
16:00 – 17:15
| IFAFRI Panel : Future Emergency Management | |
Moderator | Ron McNeal (IFAFRI) | |
Panelists: | Dan Cotter (IFAFRI) | |
Evrim Bunn (FEMA) | ||
Red Grasso (FirstTech – US) | ||
Panagiotis Giannopoulos (Hellas Fire Service) | ||
Vasileios Kazoukas (Hellas Fire Service) | ||
17:15 – 17:30 | Wrap Up & Conclusions | MEDEA, IFAFRI |
