#EUSolidarityTalks: Podcasts about EU humanitarian aid and civil protection
Through the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), the EU coordinates emergency assistance via humanitarian aid and civil protection. To bring these efforts closer to the public, the #EUSolidarityTalks podcast series shares expert insights on disaster preparedness and response—from tackling chemical risks to managing wildfires and delivering aid worldwide. Each episode features frontline stories and professional perspectives from EU experts dedicated to emergency response.
Challenge
How to make the EU humanitarian aid and civil protection preparedness and response strategies resonate with a wide range of audiences across Europe? These efforts often involve complex, technical topics—such as climate resilience, emergency logistics, and disaster risk reduction—that are hard to turn into “news.”
The goal was to transform these themes into compelling, relatable stories that highlight the EU’s tangible impact on people’s lives, while reaching citizens in multiple Member States with tailored messaging that reflects their values and media habits.
Solution
To meet this challenge, we partnered with DG ECHO to launch a multi-country podcast initiative supported by a strategic social media campaign. Since 2022 ICF Next has collaborated with podcasters across France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, and The Netherlands to produce episodes that feature frontline experts and real-life stories, making complex topics accessible and engaging.
Results
Through #EUSolidarityTalks, we’ve partnered with 15 podcasters across 10 countries to create 50 episodes that bring EU emergency response and humanitarian aid stories to life. The campaign’s cross-channel approach—combining audio storytelling with targeted digital outreach—has reached an average of 2 million listeners, amplifying how the EU’s humanitarian and civil protection teams make a difference when it matters most.