UBC Cities are invited to take part in UBC Safe Cities Commission meeting in Hamburg, 7-9 September 2026, and will be organized together with the EU Interreg CREWS project exercise.

The UBC Safe Cities Commission meeting will begin on Monday, September 7 at 13:00. The meeting will end on Tuesday, September 8 at 14:00. The main topics of the meeting are Volunteers in Crisis Management and the Results of the Questionnaire.

Additionally, the EU Interreg CREWS project will be presented.

The UBC Safe Cities Commission meeting will be followed by the CREWS project second pilot exercise that will take place September 9 to test the project results achieved so far.

The UBC Safe Cities Commission Meeting is intentionally scheduled directly before the exercise, so that members of the Safe Cities Commission can participate in the exercise on Wednesday. Participation in the exercise is optional. As the UBC is part of the CREWS project as associated partner, participants of the UBC Safe Cities Commission meeting are kindly asked to also stay for the following CREWS pilot action in Hamburg. During the exercise (storm surge scenario), UBC Safe Cities Commission Members can be involved as spontaneous volunteers.

About the CREWS project

Within the CREWS project, 13 partners from 8 Baltic Sea countries are developing a cooperation model, a digital tool, and training modules to involve organised volunteers and spontaneous helpers in crisis management by authorities. The results are tested in various exercises during the project period. One such exercise is HAPEX, which will simulate a flood scenario during a heatwave.

More information: CREWS – Interreg Baltic Sea Region https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/crews/

UBC is involved in the project as an associated organisation and members of the Safe Cities Commission are strongly invited to participate in the exercise.

Participation in the exercise is optional and includes a walk on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, at 18:00, a dinner at 19:00, and the main exercise on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, from 09:00 to 15:00, including lunch.

• Both the Safe Cities Commission Meeting and HAPEX26 will take place in and around Altona Town Hall (Platz der Republik 1, 22765 Hamburg).
• From Hamburg Airport, Altona railway station can be reached directly by S-Bahn line “S1” without changing trains; the journey takes about 40 minutes.
• From Altona station, Altona Town Hall is a 5–10 minute walk.

Booking near Altona station is recommended, for example:

• IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona, Paul-Nevermann Platz 17, 22765 Hamburg
• Best Western Raphael Hotel Altona, Präsident-Krahn Straße 13, 22765 Hamburg
• Hotel Central, Präsident-Krahn Straße 15, 22765 Hamburg
• Merite Hotel Hamburg Altona, Hahnenkamp 8, 22765 Hamburg
• MEININGER Hotel Hamburg City Center, Goetheallee 11, 22765 Hamburg

Please note that participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

Agenda

UBC Safe Cities Commission Meeting
Monday, 7 September 2026

• 13:00: Lunch (optional)
• 14:00 – 16:30: Meeting
• 16:30 – 17:30: Study Visit
• 19:00: Dinner (optional)

Tuesday, 8 September 2026

• 09:30 – 13:00: Meeting
• 13:00: Lunch (optional)

CREWS Hamburg Pilot Exercise 2026 (HAPEX26)
Tuesday, 8 September 2026

• 18:00: Joint walk to the dinner (optional)
• 19:00: Dinner (optional)

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

• 09:00 – 15:00: HAPEX26 Exercise incl. Lunch

The exercise will be conducted in German and English.

Please note: all times refer to Central European Time (CET).

Please register by July 17, 2026.

Invitation to fill in a questionnaire

To help us strengthen the work of the UBC Safe Cities Commission and ensure that our activities reflect the needs and priorities of all member cities, we kindly invite you to complete a questionnaire. Your feedback will help us improve the content, structure, and relevance of future meetings, projects, and cooperation formats.

This survey may be filled in by any official representative of your city in the UBC, not only those directly involved in the Safe Cities Commission. We aim to better understand your city’s interests, expectations, and capacity for engagement so we can design more meaningful and effective collaboration across the UBC network.

https://forms.gle/De82ZWFMVQphT5fF9

Your insights are highly valued and will directly contribute to shaping future UBC Safe Cities Commission activities.

More information and registration:
Kaspars Vārpiņš
UBC Safe Cities Commission Chairman
kaspars.varpins@liepaja.lv