The Academy of Civil Protection was inaugurated on Saturday at Vilia in Attica, with the leadership of the climate crisis and civil protection ministry attending.
The Academy seeks to signal a new start for volunteering in Greece, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides said, noting that it will be a new educational structure that is open to society and will enhance the skills and knowledge of volunteers, covering a long-standing need for training and crisis-management issues in Greece.
He said the academy will “be the heart of the national civil protection policy” of Greece, revealing that the school for volunteers and volunteer organisations started operating the previous day. “Volunteerism is an inextricable part of the Civil Protection Mechanism,” Stylianides said.
“Volunteerism in Greece has a long history and tradition that needs to be made systematic. Its contribution is great, on the one hand, but needs to be structured in a way that serves both the final outcome and the volunteer,” he added.
The inauguration was attended by government officials, the leadership of the fire brigade, MPs, representatives of the armed forces and local government and volunteer organisations.