October 13 marks the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR). Established in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly, the second Wednesday of October each year was to be observed as part of a ‘Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction’. In 2009, the General Assembly decided to designate 13 October as the official date to commemorate the Day. The objective of the observance is to raise awareness of how people are taking action to reduce their risk to disasters and help build climate resilient communities.
The focus of this year’s Day is on the contributions of older people in combating climate change, and also for the post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. The day highlights the need for a more inclusive approach for older people in disaster risk reduction. It recognizes the critical role they can play in better planning and understanding disaster risk, and how they can help with resilience-building in their communities through their experience and knowledge, as highlighted by the United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki Moon: „It is important to recognize that older persons have strengths that can serve the community at large. Their years of experience can help in reducing risks posed by disasters. We should involve them in disaster risk management as well as related planning and decision-making processes“.
Click here to watch the video „Older people confront climate change“. The video shows the important role the older generation play in combating climate change. It also highlights a need to bridge the generation gap between young and old in order to share valuable knowledge and traditions about environmental awareness and disaster prevention in the face of climate change. More information regarding the International Day for Disaster Reduction can be found here.
Photo: UNFCCC
Source: Information by UNFCCC from 13.10.2014October 13 marks the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR). Established in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly, the second Wednesday of October each year was to be observed as part of a ‘Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction’. In 2009, the General Assembly decided to designate 13 October as the official date to commemorate the Day. The objective of the observance is to raise awareness of how people are taking action to reduce their risk to disasters and help build climate resilient communities.
The focus of this year’s Day is on the contributions of older people in combating climate change, and also for the post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. The day highlights the need for a more inclusive approach for older people in disaster risk reduction. It recognizes the critical role they can play in better planning and understanding disaster risk, and how they can help with resilience-building in their communities through their experience and knowledge, as highlighted by the United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki Moon: „It is important to recognize that older persons have strengths that can serve the community at large. Their years of experience can help in reducing risks posed by disasters. We should involve them in disaster risk management as well as related planning and decision-making processes“.
Click here to watch the video „Older people confront climate change“. The video shows the important role the older generation play in combating climate change. It also highlights a need to bridge the generation gap between young and old in order to share valuable knowledge and traditions about environmental awareness and disaster prevention in the face of climate change. More information regarding the International Day for Disaster Reduction can be found here.
Photo: UNFCCC
Source: Information by UNFCCC from 13.10.2014