U.N.’s World Campaign for Risk Reduction in Schools Ends

On 10 October, the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) marked the end of its year-long campaign to reduce disaster risk in schools. Activities around the world celebrated the occasion. In the Region of the Americas, winners of the painting competitions held in schools were announced.

The focus of the ISDR 2006-2007 world campaign has been to promote safe school buildings and to incorporate awareness of disaster risk reduction in school curricula and student activities. To view the winners of the painting contest, visit: www.eird.org; www.unicef.org/lac; and www.cruzroja.org.

U.N.’s Sasakawa Award

Tony Gibbs, an engineer of Grenadian and Barbadian nationality, and Yoshiaki Kawata, a Japanese professor, received the U.N. Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction on 10 October.

The jury awarded the prize to both engineers for the contributions and commitment to disaster reduction in their own countries and internationally. Both Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Kawata have been tireless in their promotion of disaster reduction and mitigation among scientists, journalists, policy makers, and the general public.

Mr. Gibbs has collaborated for over 10 years with PAHO/WHO in the Region of the Americas. He has designed and directed construction on more than 1,500 projects for earthquake- and hurricane-resistant facilities. Mr. Kawata directs the Research Institute for Disaster Prevention at the University of Kyoto.

Gibbs and Kawata received the prize in Geneva during events marking International Disaster Reduction Day, celebrated on October 10. The award acknowledges the work of individuals and institutions who, through outstanding innovation and initiative, have contributed to reducing risk and vulnerability of communities in cases of natural disaster. We would like to join others in recognizing their outstanding careers. Congratulations!

Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), together with their partners, will host the second Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM), in Barbados on 10-14 December 2007. The event will use the motto of “The Changing Landscape of Caribbean Disaster Management—Vision Becoming Reality.”

The forum will be a platform for reflection, dialogue, and assessment of disaster risk management progress in the Region. The objectives are to promote disaster risk management at the local level and incorporate it into key sectors of national economies, and to advance disaster recovery planning for public, private, and civil sector entities.
It will also provide an opportunity to showcase CDM tools, model products, information and education materials, and highlight CDM progress in the region through presentations and discussions that demonstrate its penetration and institutionalization. PAHO/WHO will offer a course on the Safe Hospital Index within the framework of the Conference. More information is available at: http://cdm.cdera.org/cccdm/2007/.