Actions taken:
From 2018 to 2023 the BRC and Romanian Red Cross together with their local authorities and academic partners implemented the EU cross-border project “Partnerships for Overcoming the Disasters for a safe region” (POD), by training local population in the cross-border regions on flood and wild fires response.
The National Societies in the NHF network (Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), IFRC and Austrian Red Cross worked together in the EU funded project “Enhancing cross-border preparedness through shared management of emergency stock in South East Europe” (X-STOCK), by which they created a joint virtual regional warehouse of the emergency relief items physical stored by each NS, standard operating procedures regarding the coordination in the provision, acceptance and tracking of international emergency relief and created an online X-Stock platform as main coordination tool. The project included national and regional trainings and table top simulation exercises on the use online platform and the SOPs. Civil protection authorities and the (DPPI SEE) Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South and Eastern Europe.
Bulgarian Red Cross provided in-kind and/or financial to neighbouring NSs affected by disasters, including the earthquakes in Albania (2019), Croatia (2020 and 2021) and Turkiye (2023), by mobilising public support from the general population and also by utilising the joint emergency stocks established together with the Turkish Red Crescent Society.
The BRC, as part of the NHF network also provided assistance for managing the increased migrant flows to Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021).
In December 2019 the BRC hosted a regional training of IFRC and ICRC for international instructors on First Aid from NSs in Central, South and East Europe and Central Asia.
In 2024 the Bulgarian Red Cross hosted the regional Homing Pigeon simulation exercise, a joint IFRC/ICRC initiative covering both topics of Disaster Management and Restoring Family Links.
Other joint events conducted with partners from the NHF network include:
Experience exchange workshop on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in complex emergencies – in person and online workshop. Organizer: NHF Secretariat – Croatian Red Cross. Participants: Albanian RC, Austrian RC, Bulgarian RC, Croatian RC, Romanian RC, Slovenian RC, Turkish RCS, ICRC and the IFRC.
Regional ToT on Risk communication and community engagement – in person workshop. Organizer: RC of Montenegro. Participants: RC Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgarian RC, RC of Montenegro, RC of the Republic of North Macedonia, Romanian RC, IFRC.