During past centuries, the southern part of Europe has been devastated by a great number of large earthquakes, resulting in human victims and enormous material loss. Because of intensive building construction and increasing urban population density for the last two decades, the current consequential effects of such disastrous events would be even more drastic. It is therefore, of great importance to assess the seismic hazard properly, raise public awareness and improve disaster planning and management in the whole region.
   Besides exceptional willingness and cooperation of the participating countries, in developing of this Project the most important role acted Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative (DPPI) of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. DPPI recognized possibility to, through launching of this Project, introduce necessary, basic steps towards the complex seismic risk management process in this region. DPPI organized four Project Working Group meetings (Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia) for the purpose of elaboration, preparation of the Project Proposal Plan.
  The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative maintained proper and suitable framework to takeover this opportunity of achieving progress in seismic hazard assessment of the region. Its’ Secretariat has been mandated to approach to and contact international organizations and other relevant institutions as potential donors to finance the Project implementation.
   The main objective of the Project is the preparation of new seismic hazard maps of the region using modern scientific methodologies that will ensure harmonization within the region as well as with the Europian standards. Another important objective of the Project is to improve scientific collaboration between the project partners. Enhancement of joint cooperation and coordination in the field of seismic hazard will provide an important step towards preparedness and prevention activities in disaster management. Also, the project deliverables will help achieving the deployment of new seismic instruments in the participating countries and invitation of experts on seismic hazard related topics that would train young scientists of the project partners.
   It is envisaged that the Project should be implemented by the national institutions and/or the organizations that are responsible from the disaster management and seismic risk reduction in the participating countries. The Project implementation will rely on existing expertise and capacities in SE Europe with the aim of encouraging and improving further cooperation.