Almost three years on from the terrorist attacks in London, survivors of the July 7, 2005 bombings attended a major international conference on coping with the after effects of terrorism.
Westminster City Council on June 2 and 3 welcomed delegates from the Cities of Bologna and Cologne and the Madrid Bombings’ Victims Association to present recommendations on the EU Survivors of Terrorism Project, a joint response focusing on survival and loss in terrorism.<br><br>The Terrorism Project, which is the result of over a year’s collaborative work between the groups, has established a European wide support network with it’s own website for survivors, relatives and interested professionals, launched at the event.<br>The project’s aims include developing support proposals for those affected by terrorism, promoting interaction between the range of professionsls who specialise in the field, and implementing a European network of self help groups for victims and relatives.<br>Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services, Cllr Ed Argar, said: "The terrorist atrocities in recent years in London and other cities across the EU, like Madrid and Bologna, sadly all too common in other parts of the world as well, made a profound impact on all our cities, and of course most significantly on those who survived the horrific events.<br>"These attacks, and our collective responses to them, have demonstrated how vital inter-agency and international cooperation are in providing support to those affected by terrorism.<br>"At Westminster Council we have a significant amount of experience in responding to major incidents, however I believe we have also all learnt a lot about how to care better for the needs of survivors in such unprecedented and difficult circumstances.<br>"I hope that out of these terrible events, through the relationships that have been built between nations, between organisations, and between individuals, and the lessons and recommendations emerging from today’s conference, we will be able to offer even better support to survivors, their families and their friends."<br>Within days of the London attacks Westminster council set up the 7th July Family Assistance Centre offering vital support to those affected by the atrocity. Working with the Metropolitan Police Service and voluntary partners including the Red Cross, Cruse Bereavement Care, Victim Support London, Salvation Army, Disaster Action, NHS and Transport for London the centre was the first of its kind in Europe, with the model being established from the 9/11 terror attacks.<br>This valuable work was commended by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who praised Westminster Council for doing their “level best to look after the families”.<br>During the conference, speakers from the 7th July Assistance Centre, Westminster Council and the Metropolitan Police will talk about their role in the aftermath of the London bombings and the long term impact of the atrocities.<br>Experts and victims from across Europe will also present Terrorism Project recommendations for raising awareness of the immediate and long term needs of those affected by terrorist attacks and discuss the lessons learned from the 7th July bombings.<br><br>The conference will be opened by Cllr Ed Argar and Minister for the Olympics and London, Tessa Jowell, attended the closing reception. Anna Patullo, Vice Mayor of Bologna, will be among the international delegates.
