Boguslawa Motylska and Richard Stones represented CPTED-UK at the 8th International Congress of Science and Technology SAFE PLACE, held last week in Warsaw under the auspices of NATO Deep eAcademy. This year’s congress focused on “Civil Defence and Protection of People” (pl. Ochrona Ludności i Obrona Cywilna – OLIOC), bringing together leading experts to address the challenges of modern security.
CPTED-UK provided delegates with insights into the United Kingdom’s National Security Strategy 2025 and shared practical experience in strengthening civil resilience at the regional level. The presentation emphasized that in today’s complex security environment, international collaboration and the exchange of best practices are critical to building preparedness and interoperability among nations.
Boguslawa Motylska opened the session by comparing Polish and British national strategies and legal frameworks for civil defence. She highlighted the UK’s transformative “whole-of-society” approach, designed to dismantle silos between public services, armed forces, private industry, and civil society—creating a unified response to threats ranging from terrorism to hybrid attacks.
A cornerstone of this strategy is the creation of Regional Defence and Security Clusters, fostering cooperation between government, academia, and industry to drive innovation and resilience.
Richard Stones introduced the audience to #inthistogether2025, a CPTED-UK initiative developed in partnership with AFFTE College and CitizenAID. This program equips citizens with life-saving skills aligned with national security objectives. Based on battlefield-proven trauma care, CitizenAID trains the public in emergency response techniques such as bleeding control and trauma management, adapting military protocols like “Control then ACT,” “MIST,” and “METHANE” for civilian use.
Launched in September 2025 with the support of Major General Tim Hodgetts and counter-terrorism advocate Figen Murray OBE, the initiative underscores the strategic importance of public empowerment. Murray’s symbolic contribution—a hand-knitted Peace Bear named Troy—reflects the campaign’s humanitarian ethos, promoting mental health awareness and community solidarity.
The SAFE PLACE Congress continues to serve as a vital platform for dialogue among security professionals from government, private sector, and academia. CPTED-UK previously participated in the 6th edition in 2023, presenting on hybrid threats and urban security in collaboration with BRE Loss Prevention Certification Board.
As global threats evolve, sharing knowledge and experience between Poland, the UK, NATO partners, and Ukraine remains essential. Joint training, innovation, and trust-building strengthen collective defence and ensure societies are prepared for the challenges of hybrid insecurity.
