28 October 2015
On 27-28 October 2015 Central Asia Earthquake Risk Reduction Forum took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
On 27-28 October 2015 the first Central Asia Earthquake Risk Reduction Forum, organized by the World Bank Group with the support of the “Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries” took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO Almaty Office was invited to participate in this event and moderated the Session “Investing in safer infrastructure”, which focused on international experience in investments and best practices in earthquake risk reduction.The primary objective of the Forum was to understand the current state of earthquake risk reduction in the region and its potential impacts, as well as to promote the dialogue on risk reduction initiatives among policy makers and practitioners in Central Asia. The Forum will become a platform for cross-sectoral knowledge and experience sharing among various stakeholders at national and regional levels. Representatives from governments of five Central Asian republics, as well as regional research institutions, universities and international experts participated in the event.
Working alone or in collaboration with other UN Agencies and scientific entities, UNESCO has been a catalyst for international, inter-disciplinary cooperation in many aspects of earthquake risk reduction since many years. UNESCO is committed to prioritize earthquake risk reduction through capacity building, facilitating and conducting a number of training workshops and research activities, notably on assessment and monitoring of geohazards. This includes providing policy tools which raise public understanding and awareness of earthquake disaster mitigation, as well as developing methodologies to ensure the structural safety of educational facilities and non-engineered constructions (VISUS methodology, etc.). UNESCO also works closely with national scientific and research institutions, its centres and chairs and promotes inter-institutional regional and global cooperation by establishing platforms/networks, such as the International Platform for Reducing Earthquake Disaster (IPRED), for knowledge exchange and scientific cooperation on earthquake risk reduction.
Through its wide range of activities UNESCO promotes constructing a global culture of resilient communities in a cross-disciplinary manner.
Forum Proceedings
Permanent link: http://en.unesco.kz/unesco-takes-part-in-the-first-central-asia-earthquake-risk-reduction-forum