PSI - Issue 78

Andrea Digrisolo et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 761–768

764

In general, for communication strategies to be more effective, they need to be adapted to the specific nature of the risks and the sociocultural context of the target audience (Massa and Comunello 2024). A universal approach is not effective, as each community requires tailored tools for efficient risk communication. 3.2. Communication Activities Among the various activities carried out to promote a culture of prevention, several research projects developed for specific target audiences, ranging from children to adults, are reported in the literature. Firstly, it is essential that risk communication be adapted to the cognitive and emotional characteristics of each audience. Adults respond better to structured information based on concrete data and detailed analyses, which help them better assess the danger of a situation. Conversely, children (La Longa et al. 2012) require a more narrative and visual approach, with stories, images, and playful activities through which they discover risks via a workshop-based journey focused primarily on play and curiosity. For example, the Edurisk project, launched in the early 2000s (Pessina et al. 2012), was designed to raise awareness among school-age children (4 – 13 years old) about seismic and volcanic phenomena. The project provided materials and training courses for teachers, involving over 4,000 educators and 70,000 students across 14 Italian regions. An important initiative currently carried out in Italian schools is the "Io non rischio scuola" (INR-S) project, which began experimentally in 2018 with the goal of raising awareness among primary school students about natural hazards. Thanks to collaboration among pedagogists, psychologists, educators, and civil protection experts, an experiential learning path was developed that actively engages students. Activities take place in the classroom using a purposefully designed educational kit. Volunteers and teachers select the most age-appropriate cards, constructing an educational course consisting of three sessions of 1 – 2 hours each. Aimed at middle school students, the “L’Attimo decisivo” (INR -A) project is a comic book aimed at raising youth awareness on civil protection issues. The comic book narrates the adventures of four teenagers who face adversaries representing natural or man-made hazards-threats that can be countered through knowledge and action. Accompanied by a QR code, the book provides access to multimedia content, making the experience even more interactive. Digital serious games (i.e., games designed to combine entertainment with training and education) have been specifically developed for students to raise awareness about seismic and volcanic risks (Goretti and Musacchio 2024). These games, focused on knowledge, prevention, and preparedness, engage participants in problem-solving, memory tasks, and responses to catastrophic scenarios, emphasizing collaboration over competition. In an era dominated by digital communication, the web and social media are increasingly essential tools for both rapidly disseminating information and efficiently collecting feedback. Studies show that most users access content via smartphones (Pignone et al. 2022), making it crucial to develop mobile-friendly web pages for effective communication. In this context, to raise adults' awareness of seismic risk, the Italian Civil Protection Department, in collaboration with the Eucentre Foundation and the ReLUIS Consortium, has developed the web platform SICURO+ (Dolce et al., 2019). This platform provides a simplified risk assessment for each municipality, also making it possible to understand the specific role of the three key risk factors: hazard, exposure and vulnerability. However, the most significant initiative currently active in Italy for raising public awareness about natural risks is the national campaign "Io non rischio" (INR). Promoted by the Italian Civil Protection Department in collaboration with several organizations, including Anpas, INGV, ReLUIS, and CIMA. The campaign is based on the cooperation among the scientific community, organized volunteer groups, and institutions, with the aim of involving citizens actively in prevention and preparedness. Launched in 2011 focusing exclusively on earthquake risk (Postiglione et al. 2016), it has since expanded over the years to include tsunami risk in 2013, flood risk in 2014, and now covers eight different risks. The communication model has also evolved profoundly over the years. The initial approach, focused on public events held over a single weekend each year, has been replaced by a more widespread and continuous campaign, aimed at reaching a broader audience through various channels. Volunteer associations organize communication events throughout the year alongside other initiatives with high public participation, often coinciding with local festivals or commemorative events. In addition to expanding the project within schools (INR-S), additional events have included participation in the Giffoni Film Festival (2018) and Lucca Comics (2023 and 2024), as well as the organization of national live broadcasts (2021 –2022) on the DPC’s social media channels. Furthermore, the