Today, we celebrate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP). The day of 13 October was established at the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.
On behalf of CIRDAP, I call for immediate global attention on disaster risk reduction by mean of hazard vulnerability assessments, disaster early warning, mitigation, preparedness and response.
It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress being made toward reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March 2015. In keeping with the Day’s focus on the impact that disasters have on people’s lives and well-being, this year’s theme is about conveying the message that many disasters can be avoided or prevented if there are disaster risk reduction strategies in place to manage and reduce existing levels of risk and to avoid the creation of new risk. What that amounts to is “good disaster risk governance.[1]”
CIRDAP is proud to organize a webinar in collaboration with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and partner organizations in Bangladesh, Thailand, and U.S.A. for celebrating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction entitled “Expert Consultation on Building Earthquakes Resilient Communities and Societies for Bangladesh: Sharing Experiences and Lesson Learned from Earthquakes around the World”. It is expected that the meeting will identify strategic actions, measures and pilot implementation of end-to-end earthquake risk reduction systems for Bangladesh.
CIRDAP looks forward to promoting its Emerging issues on integrated rural development including natural disaster risk reduction, climate change impacts, & water resource management programme as part of the work plan 2020+ in the years to come.
[1] https://www.undrr.org/publication/concept-note-international-day-disaster-risk-reduction-2020
