Medicine, Refugees, and Civil Protection – Expert conference by PCPM
Experts from Poland, Japan, Norway, and Ukraine, together with representatives of European Union institutions and international humanitarian organizations, will meet in Rzeszów to develop the best strategies for crisis assistance. The debate will take place on April 10-11, 2025, during the conference “Emergency Medicine – Refugees – Civil Protection,” organized by the Polish Centre for International Aid Foundation.
International Expert Meeting in Rzeszów
The conference in Rzeszów aims to enable relevant institutions to respond better, faster, and more effectively to future crises. The event will gather experts from leading public institutions across four continents and international organizations, including the European Commission, United Nations agencies, and Emergency Medical Teams (EMT).
“We invited individuals and institutions that in recent years have participated in supporting and coordinating humanitarian and rescue aid during the world’s largest and most significant crises, both man-made, such as wars, and natural, like earthquakes. Together, we want to consider how to prepare countries, regions, and especially people for possible emergency situations,” said Dr. Wojtek Wilk, president of the Polish Centre for International Aid Foundation and the conference initiator.
Participants will learn how to organize aid in cases of mass refugee crises based on Polish experiences with creating the Transit Center for refugees at Warsaw East Railway Station and the MEDEVAC HUB in Jasionka. Experts will share how operating rooms function in the Gaza Strip and how medical aid is provided near the front line in Ukraine. Conference participants will exchange experiences on how healthcare operates during crises, wars, and disasters.
“Experts from Japan will present lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima disaster and how that event influenced crisis management,” explained Dr. Wojtek Wilk.
Experts will also hear about rescue operations after sudden floods, such as the recent one in Valencia, as well as new hybrid threats. The conference will also address responses to natural disasters.
The conference will be held strategically near the Rzeszów airport, which plays a key role in evacuating medical patients from Ukraine. The meeting will be closed to the public.
Context and Purpose
The war in Ukraine and the resulting refugee crisis represent an unprecedented test for administrations, international organizations, and NGOs. This conflict highlights the importance of proper crisis management. The conference in Rzeszów will serve as a space to analyze challenges and build cooperation in civil protection, emergency medicine, and humanitarian aid. A key discussion point will be lessons from mass population movements and threats to critical infrastructure, including medical facilities.
International Experts and Key Topics
The event is organized by the Polish Centre for International Aid Foundation, one of Poland’s largest humanitarian organizations, cooperating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, the United Nations, and the European Union. PCPM leads Poland’s only Emergency Medical Team accredited by the World Health Organization and has operated the MEDEVAC HUB in Jasionka near the Polish-Ukrainian border since 2022.
The conference is held under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Minister of the Interior and Administration, and the Minister of Health
