Innovative Tools for Disaster Risk Education: Twenty Years of LARES Initiatives in Italy

Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 highlights education, public awareness, and knowledge sharing as key priorities for strengthening disaster risk governance and building resilient societies (UNDRR). In this context, effective disaster risk reduction requires not only advances in scientific knowledge, but also sustained science-society interaction, inclusive risk communication, and long-term engagement strategies.

For about 20 years, the LARES Association - Italian Union of Civil Protection Experts, has been actively committed to promoting a culture of prevention and safety, bridging scientific expertise, civil protection institutions, volunteers, and citizens. LARES operates with the aim of translating scientific knowledge on natural hazards into accessible information and practical behaviours, in line with the Sendai Framework’s emphasis on education and capacity building.

LARES adopts a multidisciplinary and participatory approach, focusing on the co-production of knowledge and on educational pathways tailored to different audiences: students, educators, volunteers, professionals, and the general public. Its activities combine formal and informal education, experiential learning, and innovative communication tools to enhance risk awareness, preparedness, and individual and collective responsibility.

A cornerstone of LARES’s educational outreach is “SicuraMente Lab”, an interactive programme designed for secondary schools and universities, which has trained around 10,000 students, involving more than 70 schools and approximately 100 volunteer trainers. The project integrates workshops, hands-on activities, web platform, and expert contributions to introduce civil protection principles, multi-hazard scenarios (earthquakes, floods, landslides, and fires), and self-protection measures, fostering critical thinking and risk literacy among younger generations.

LARES also plays an active role in “Io non Rischio”, the national awareness campaign coordinated by the Italian Civil Protection Department. Through engagement in public spaces and digital formats, trained volunteers disseminate scientifically validated information on natural hazards and preparedness practices, promoting dialogue, trust-building, and shared responsibility between institutions and communities. To date, dozens of events have been organized in 9 regions, reaching thousands of people.

Public engagement is further strengthened through “Terremoti d’Italia”, an itinerant exhibition combining scientific content, historical memory, and interactive communication to explain seismic processes and promote preventive actions. Since 2007, around 30 editions have been organized in Italy and abroad with the participation of LARES volunteers.

Innovation in risk communication is a key element of LARES’s strategy. The “Sisma VR” project, a virtual reality earthquake simulation, immerses users in realistic scenarios to enhance understanding of seismic risk and appropriate response behaviours through the use of commercial VR headsets.

In addition, the popular videogame “Minecraft” has been exploited to develop a flood risk scenario in urban area using familiar digital environments to engage younger audiences, encouraging preparedness through play and simulation. The Minecraft-based scenario will soon be published on the Minecraft Education platform, making it available to teachers and educators worldwide.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate how education-oriented, science-based communication and stakeholder engagement can effectively support the diffusion of prevention and safety culture. The LARES experience provides transferable practices aligned with the Sendai Framework priorities, contributing to informed, aware, and resilient communities.