The team of the Black Sea – Danube Association for Research and Development (BDCA-Varna) participated in the international forum “Managing Flash Flood Risks in the Mediterranean Region”, held on 17 June 2026 in Perpignan, France. The event marked the final conference of the LOCALL4FLOOD project, funded under the Interreg Euro-MED Programme.
As a partner in the project, BDCA-Varna has been working together with organizations across the Mediterranean region to develop and implement solutions aimed at reducing flash flood risks and strengthening the resilience of local communities to climate change.
The Bulgarian delegation was joined by Deputy Mayor Ganka Georgieva from the Municipality of Dalgopol, representatives of the Regional....
18 June 2026
The team of the Black Sea – Danube Association for Research and Development (BDCA-Varna) participated in the international forum “Managing Flash Flood Risks in the Mediterranean Region”, held on 17 June 2026 in Perpignan, France. The event marked the final conference of the LOCALL4FLOOD project, funded under the Interreg Euro-MED Programme.
As a partner in the project, BDCA-Varna has been working together with organizations across the Mediterranean region to develop and implement solutions aimed at reducing flash flood risks and strengthening the resilience of local communities to climate change.
The Bulgarian delegation was joined by Deputy Mayor Ganka Georgieva from the Municipality of Dalgopol, representatives of the Regional Administration of Varna, and experts from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH).
The conference brought together representatives of local and regional authorities, scientific organizations, and flood risk management experts from across Europe to exchange experience and good practices related to early warning systems, public awareness, and nature-based solutions.
Dr. Valeri Penchev, moderator of the panel "Governance, getting the right people to work together" and National Coordinator of the LOCALL4FLOOD project for Bulgaria, together with Ganka Georgieva, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Dalgopol, and Vincent Darmuzey, Head of the Water and Risks Department at the Territorial and Water Management Directorate of the Pyrénées-Orientales Department (France)
Dr. Valeri Penchev, National Project Coordinator for Bulgaria, moderated the thematic panel on “Integrated Flood Risk Management with Multi-Stakeholder Participation.” During the discussion, the LOCALL4FLOOD approach for establishing an integrated governance model was presented. The model combines prevention, adaptation, and mitigation measures and is being tested in small river catchments particularly vulnerable to flash floods. It promotes cooperation among public institutions, the scientific community, local authorities, and citizens.
During the forum, the key achievements of the LOCALL4FLOOD project since its launch in 2024 were presented, including stakeholder training activities, the application of the Argos City early warning system in nine pilot areas, the development of multilingual educational materials to improve flood preparedness, and a catalogue of nature-based solutions adapted to different Mediterranean territories.
BDCA-Varna’s participation in the international forum reaffirmed the importance of cooperation among scientific organizations, public institutions, and local authorities in strengthening community resilience to floods and other climate-related challenges.
