On October 14^th, 2024, a panel discussion was successfully held in the Conference hall of the University of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The event was organized by the VEVU Alumni Association and the Directorate of Civil Protection.

The panel was moderated by the president of the Alumni Association, Stjepan Draganić, mag. ing. sec., an employee of the Directorate of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia, and the head of the Vukovar Civil Protection Service. The panelists were our distinguished alumni, who are now key stakeholders in the systems of emergency medical services, police, firefighting, and civil protection:

• Tomislav Prša, Chief Medical Technician at the Vukovar-Srijem County Emergency Medical Service,
• Mario Tarle, Fire Protection, Explosives, and Weapons Inspector at the Directorate of Civil Protection, Civil Protection Service Vukovar,
• Martina Halas, Public Relations Officer at the Vukovar-Srijem County Police Department, and
• Dario Dejanović, Deputy Commander of the Vukovar Public Firefighting Unit.

The panel was rich in practical experiences, with our panelists sharing the challenges they face in their work and emphasizing the importance of mutual cooperation in disaster risk reduction. Particularly moving were their recollections of their student days and how the knowledge and friendships gained at the University VEVU shaped their careers and professional paths.

Thank you to everyone who attended and actively participated in this important discussion!