The World Civil Defense Day is observed each year on 1 March. The holiday was established for promoting civil defense, activities of national rescue agencies, building safety culture among the population and was devoted to the day when the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) was granted the status of an intergovernmental organization.
The ICDO was established in 1931 as the Association of Geneva Zones designated to protect civilian population during military conflicts. In 1966, the ICDO became an international intergovernmental organization with the objective to protect national, regional and international potentials, introduce new methods and technologies in human protection as well as to consolidate international cooperation in disaster management.
An important result of work done by the ICDO and recognition of its considerable role in international humanitarian community was the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly passed on 18 December 2015 under which the ICDO was granted a status of an observer to the UN General Assembly.
A significant event in the history of cooperation between the Russian Emergency Ministry and the ICDO was a framework agreement on strategic partnership signed in Geneva on 21 November 2017 between the Russian Government and the ICDO.
Supported by Russia, the ICDO has established an international monitoring and coordination center (IMCC) based on Russian latest information technologies adapted to international standards. The Center has become one of the basic international centers for collecting and analyzing information on massive disasters, exchange of data on emergencies and a single platform to train emergency specialists.
Emergency Ministry’s universities train specialists and develop the Russian-Serbian and Russian-Armenian Humanitarian Centers as part of ICDO humanitarian assistance and personnel potential improvement program.
Under the auspices of the ICDO, the Russian Emergency Ministry implements projects in assisting international development in the number of countries, including Cuba, Tunisia, Jordan, Cameroon, Serbia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Armenia.
Being a strategic partner of the ICDO, Russia takes active part in improving civil defense systems on regional, federal and international levels.
Civil defense in Russia has 85-year-long history with dynamic and continuous process of improvement on all stages of its development meeting all threats and challenges and protecting people and territories.
A result of our joint work is saved lives, decrease in the number of emergency-related deaths worldwide, increase of resilience through integrated strengthening and improvement of disaster management systems.
I would like to express confidence that further cooperation between the Russian Emergency Ministry and the ICDO and other corresponding international organizations, as well as national emergency services will be no less efficient.
I thank everybody who dedicated their lives to a noble cause of civil defense and protection of people from disasters.
I wish you sound health, wellbeing, success and new achievements.
May our joint coherent work, professionalism, courage and devotion to duty serve efficient development of civil defense in our country and worldwide, as well as enhance international image of the Russian Emergency Ministry and Russia, contribute to ensuring necessary level of protection from possible hazards and challenges existing in modern world.
