It is an honor and a pleasure to be here in Rome — a city of timeless beauty and resilience — to celebrate the life and legacy of Giuseppe Zamberletti, the father of Italys modern National Civil Protection Service. His work stands as a beacon of inspiration for disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness. We reflect on his achievements and the future of civil protection.
Giuseppes journey in civil protection began with tragedy. The earthquakes in Friuli in 1976 and Irpinia in 1980 highlighted the need for stronger disaster preparedness.
In 1981, the story of Alfredino Rampi, who fell into a well, led to calls for improved rescue operations. This tragedy exposed the need for better emergency systems.
Giuseppe transformed pain into progress, creating Italys modern Civil Protection Service to ensure readiness for future crises.
He improved coordination and distinguished between forecasting, prevention, and emergency response, involving local authorities and volunteers.
The EU and Italy share strong ties in Civil Protection, with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism enhancing solidarity among Member States and beyond. Italy plays a crucial role in this Mechanism.
Italys approach to preparedness and response serves as a model, with a record of European solidarity demonstrated by its responses to emergencies worldwide.
Preparedness challenges are accelerating due to wars, climate change, and technological threats. The European Commission is developing a Preparedness Union Strategy to address these, inspired by Zamberlettis vision.
The Strategy will support vulnerable groups and build an inclusive civil protection framework, learning from countries like Ukraine.
Preparedness is a shared responsibility, and Giuseppes legacy encourages us to protect our societies and build a safer future.
In memory of Giuseppe, lets commit to the principles of preparedness and cooperation.