VOST Portugal receives the prestigious JRC Excellence Award
On 3 July 2024, VOST Portugal, as part of a collaborative effort with the three JRC units, was awarded the prestigious JRC Excellence Award in Ispra, Italy. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and experience of our team, in this case in responding to the catastrophic earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria earlier this year.
The award was given to units E3,E5,T5 and VOST Portugal, in recognition of the work done by all the teams involved. The panel that took the decision commended our collective efforts for their exceptional responsiveness and thorough analysis, which resulted in the production of six detailed reports. These reports played a key role in helping field operatives and effectively coordinating emergency response efforts.
Marzia Santini, representing all the teams involved, gave an emotional speech during the award ceremony:
“On 6 February, a tragedy struck two countries. On the same day as the earthquakes, an ad-hoc team was set up. We managed to get to this JRC scientific effort in time and learned that it is better to be approximately correct than precisely delayed“. Science can take time to develop, but it can be delivered quickly. We are motivated to be helpful", which perfectly reflects the spirit of the VOST Portugal team that participated in this activation.
Leveraging technology for humanitarian aid
Since 2019, VOST Portugal has pioneered the use of advanced AI models to improve humanitarian response. The AI model, developed by JRC, and trained over almost two years by volunteers from VOST Portugal, stands out in extracting crucial information from X (formerly Twitter). Categorizes aid requests by importance and tries to geolocate them. Our dedicated OSINT team then checks this data and produces accurate maps, which are precious to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). In addition, our team actively detects disinformation narratives and other relevant citizen data on the ground, ensuring that only verified information is used in response efforts.
The way forward
The award of the JRC Excellence Award not only recognises our past efforts, but also drives us forward in our mission. We are committed to continuing our work to leverage technology for good, improve our capabilities and ensure that our contributions continue to have an impact on humanitarian aid after major disasters such as these earthquakes.
This award highlights the impact we can achieve through collaboration, innovation and dedication. We thank all those who supported us on this journey and look forward to further advances in our efforts to provide timely and accurate support in times of crisis.
At VOST Portugal, we are incredibly proud of this achievement and the recognition of our hard work and commitment. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to our mission of leveraging technology for better emergency response and to keep populations more informed and empowered.
Thank you to JRC units, our team members and all our followers. Together, we make a difference. Together we are stronger.
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