A seminar on issues of strategic communication in times of crisis was held by the Presidency of the Government and the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in collaboration with the Embassy of Latvia and the NATO Center of Excellence.

The objectives of the seminar are the presentation of good practices in communication crisis management, hybrid businesses in the field of communication as well as the empowerment of executives of the involved services with the aim of developing a holistic Strategic Communication framework in Greece.

The following is the speech of the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilia:

“The extreme weather phenomena that are multiplying in the Balkans, the Mediterranean and European countries, but also throughout the planet lead to extreme heat conditions, forest fires, floods and natural disasters. Beyond the operational management of these situations, the heart and purpose of the Ministry, which we come to this workshop to discuss, creates the need for a new communication condition in three axes:

Firstly, at the level of informing citizens.

Secondly, at the level of informing journalists, because they are the means by which information passes to our citizens

Third, at the level of interoperability between services and structures.

These three axes form the basis worldwide for the purpose of the integrated approach in the field of crisis management. Based on what is recorded in the history of natural disasters or impending severe weather phenomena, proper communication is part of the prevention and protection measures for the general public,

Civil protection communication is important in non-crisis times so as to educate the public in the best possible way to take the most effective protection measures.

The intentions of the Greek government and with the legislation regarding civil protection are forward-looking and invest in prevention. Because we believe that prevention can reduce the consequences of the phenomena we will be called upon to deal with. The climate crisis is here, there are scientists who talk about climate collapse, but we have to organize and this is what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been systematically doing since 2019 by upgrading civil protection, who saw early and envisioned another protection framework. What was a service of the state became a ministry and acquired interoperability since here there are representatives of the armed forces, the security forces, the coast guard, EL.AS, EKAV, the entities that provide electricity to the country, the entities of the critical infrastructures , there is a coordinator from the presidency of the Government so that there can be full information.

Along with “outward communication” the response is equally important. A prerequisite is the correct “internal communication” which helps you to get to the point and respond to the needs that arise in the best possible way. That is why we invest in new technology, through a large program so that we can have important weapons in our quiver. We also invest in education, and we aspire to train our schools, our students, our local government workers, our volunteers, and build a theme park with all the risk simulations that can occur in a country.

Educating citizens can give us much better results in the growing crises brought about by the climate crisis. The goal is valid, immediate and multi-level information which, especially in times of crisis management, is a primary concern.”

The seminar was held in the presence of the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis, the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister Thanos Dokos, the Adviser on Security Policies and Crisis Management – Office of the Minister of State Triantafyllos Karatrandou, as well as the Ambassador of Latvia Ieva Briede, officials of the Embassy of Latvia and NATO representatives.

Also present were representatives of the Ministries of Shipping and Island Policy, Health, Digital Governance, Infrastructure and Transport, Citizen Protection, the General Secretariat for Communication and Information, the General Secretariat for Coordination, the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the EYP.