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 our team’s dedication and expertise, 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 carried out by all the teams involved. The panel that made the decision praised 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 assisting operatives on the ground and effectively coordinating emergency response efforts.
Marzia Santini, representing all the teams involved, gave an emotional speech during the awards ceremony:
‘On 6 February, 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 endeavour on time and learnt that it’s better to be approximately correct than precisely late.’ Science may take time to develop, but it can be delivered quickly. We feel motivated to be useful,’ which perfectly reflects the spirit of the VOST Portugal team that took part in this activation.
Marzia Santini in her thank you speech
Leveraging technology for humanitarian aid
Since 2019, VOST Portugal has been pioneering the use of advanced AI models to improve humanitarian response. The AI model, developed by JRC and trained over almost two years by VOST Portugal volunteers, excels at extracting crucial information from X (formerly Twitter). It categorises requests for help by importance and tries to geolocate them. Our dedicated OSINT team then verifies this data and produces accurate maps, which are invaluable for the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). In addition, our team actively detects disinformation narratives and other pertinent data from citizens 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 propels us forward in our mission. We are committed to continuing our work of leveraging technology for good, improving our capabilities and ensuring that our contributions continue to have an impact on humanitarian aid following major disasters such as these earthquakes.
This award highlights the impact we can achieve through collaboration, innovation and dedication. We thank everyone who has 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 to better respond to emergencies and to keep populations more informed and empowered.
Thank you to the JRC units, our team members and all our followers. Together, we make a difference. Together we are stronger.