New York, 13 October 2022 (TDI): The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is celebrated on 13 October each year to promote a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially designated 13 October as the date to commemorate the Day.
About International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction aims to promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including its prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.
The day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters. Moreover, this day is all about raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.
It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress made towards reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health in line with the Sendai Framework. The primary objective of the Sendai Framework is to avoid creating new and reduce existing risks.
This year the International Day will focus on Target G of the Sendai Framework. This includes substantially increasing the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.
The project focuses on people-centered early warning systems and preparedness. This will lead to early action to minimize the harm to people, assets, and livelihoods.
According to United Nations (UN) data, Latin America and the Caribbean is the second most disaster-prone region. Since 2000, some 152 million people in the region have been affected by 1205 disasters.
These include floods, hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, droughts, landslides, fires, extreme temperatures, and weather events.
The UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean has initiated a project: “Capacity development for disaster risk reduction in built areas in Latin America and the Caribbean” (BERLAC).
In addition, this project aims at strengthening local and community capacities in the face of natural disasters.
