Disaster Risk Reduction
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Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies REGIONAL COMMUNITY SAFETY AND RESILIENCE FORUM Monthly Updates – October 2017 Dian Nurul Wardani, a community member who spearheaded the community garbage bank programme to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Learn about her story from this short video, which forms part of community voice 2017. Welcome to our October 2017 Southeast Asia news updates. In addition to these monthly updates we send to you every month, you could also find Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent’s resources, tools, events and updates at Resilience Library at http://www.rcrc-resilience- southeastasia.org. Thematic Updates from Southeast Asia Southeast Asian countries celebrated the International Day for Disaster Reduction 2017 and the ASEAN Day for Disaster Management From http://www.rcrc-resilience-southeastasia.org/communication-and-advocacy/asean-countries-celebrated- the-international-day-for-disaster-reduction-2017-and-the-asean-day-for-disaster-management/ 2 Regional Community Safety and Resilience updates – October 2017 Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies October marked many key activities related to the disaster risk reduction. Throughout this month, the Southeast Asian countries celebrated the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) together with the ASEAN Day for Disaster Management (ADDM), to encourage people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nation. It was also the annual opportunity for the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to promote and remind the public of the importance of disaster risk reduction and, to continue strengthening their recognition as key disaster risk reduction partner in each country. At the regional-wide level, the ADDM was hosted and celebrated in Luangprabang, Lao PDR, back-to- back with the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), attended by the heads of National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs), Ministers from ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Secretariat Office, Lao Provincial Governor and representatives from the government. Around 150 delegates convened together in this event. In addition to an annual Ministerial Meeting, the exhibition showcased good practices on disaster management and risk reduction from the region. Southeast Asian Community Voices videos and Scan the QR code to access IFRC booth featured the publications (scan the IFRC publications inserted QR code) drew a great attention from the Deputy Prime Minister of Lao PDR and other Ministries. At the country-level, Thailand was the first country to celebrate the IDDR day. The activity was organized on the 1st October at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center with the collaboration of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), the Relief and Community Health Bureau of the Thai Red Cross Society and other key partners. In remembrance for the late King Rama 9, the country set up the exhibition highlighting His Majesty’s work to build community resilience under the theme “The King’s Philosophy on Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainability.” The short films screening was shown and disaster risk reduction awareness raising materials from various key stakeholders were also disseminated during the event. In Vietnam, despite flooding in many provinces, the country organized the IDDR Day celebration with relevant stakeholders and communities. This year, the awareness raising activities was organized in Vinh City of Nghe An province. Around 350 participants including the provincial media and national media attended the celebration. The event also served as an opportunity to inform the public on the Vietnam Disaster Law and Viet Nam Red Cross (VNRC)’s disaster preparedness and response mechanism. Disaster law key messages on rights, roles and responsibilities (3R) of communities in disaster management were disseminated to the public along with the 3R calendars for community members. 3 Regional Community Safety and Resilience updates – October 2017 Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies In Timor Leste, the Government at national and local level were strongly involved in IDDR Day celebration. Key messages about the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction were spread throughout the country before, during and after the event using various communication channels. Fifty banners showing what actions need to do in certain disasters were distributed to 25 villages across Timor. Media coverages included a press release published in the Timor Post newspaper, reports from RTM (Radio e Televizaun Maubere) and the National Television and radio (RTTL). Furthermore, Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste (CVTL) in collaboration with GMN (Grupo Media Nasional) TV produced and broadcasted a television spot featuring Ex-President of Timor-Leste - Dr. José Ramos Horta. In addition, drill simulation exercise on the awareness of various hazard and disaster risk types, roles and responsibilities were also organized in Aileu municipality. In Lao PDR, two activities were featured to celebrate the IDDR day. The first activity was the IDDR Day Television Talk Show, which was hosted by two well- known television announcers and broadcasted on the Lao National Television channel. Four key stakeholders including the Ministry of Social Welfare, OXFAM, Weather Forecast Bureau and Lao Red Cross were invited to discuss about their roles and works in disaster risk reduction. Two media outlets from Vientiane Times and Lao Phatthana newspapers reported about the event. The second activity was the Radio Q&A programme which aimed to increase public awareness on the IDDR day as well as disseminate the knowledge related to disasters and resilience. The national radio programme was on air daily covering nationwide from 25 September until 19 October. In Myanmar, the IDDR Day celebration reached national, regional & local levels with nearly 6,000 people engaged. The pre – event for IDDR Day which was held on September 30, 2017 in the People’s park of Yangon City attracted around 2,000 people. It was the first time that the event took place for the whole day. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) organized booth to display Disaster Risk Reduction photos and materials and raised awareness of disaster knowledge to the public with games and quizzes. The day was also celebrated with schools from Kyauktan, Hlaing and Thaketa townships of MRCS school safety projects. In the local level, community awareness activities on earthquake, fire, flood and storms were organized along with the essay and painting contest for students and celebration of township level. 4 Regional Community Safety and Resilience updates – October 2017 Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Disaster Risk Reduction AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme 2017 Red Cross Red Crescent Induction | 9-13 October 2017 | Semarang, Indonesia From http://www.rcrc-resilience-southeastasia.org/event/aha-centre-executive-ace-programme-2017-red- cross-red-crescent-induction-09-13-october-2017-semarang-indonesia/ The AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme aims to provide capacity building for professionals from National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) of ASEAN Member States who wish to pursue a career in disaster management. It offers select group of NMDO staff the opportunity to further develop their professional knowledge, skills and experience in regional cooperation on disaster management by exposing them to various settings in which they work with and learn from key partners including the United Nations and other international organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The programme also serves as a platform to develop strong inter-governmental network to strengthen regional cooperation. Funded by the Japanese Government and other partners, the programme seeks to generate a pool of disaster management champions across ASEAN. ACE Programme was carried out successfully in 2014, 2015 and 2016, with different sessions held in Indonesia, New Zealand and Japan including a substantial period based within the AHA Centre in Jakarta. The fourth cohort started its training in July 2017. IFRC has been identified by the AHA Centre as one of the key resource organizations for some modules of the course, given its expertise in international disaster management, emergency shelter, disaster law and logistics. For training documents, and simulation scenarios, refer to this weblink. This year, the training included a community level simulation exercise involving around 500 community members and the District Regent, as well as a technical discussion with the Mayor as well as the Chief Resilience Officer of the City of Semarang, one of the 100 Resilient Cities under the global campaign led by the Rockefeller Foundation. Building Urban Resilience in Southeast Asia (ECHO funded) From http://www.rcrc-resilience-southeastasia.org/disaster-risk-reduction/urban-disaster-risk- reduction/building-urban-resilience-in-southeast-asia-project/#1510542189444-4b99079e-ffdb At Regional Level: Regional Lessons Learned Workshop is scheduled in Bangkok, Thailand from 7-8 December 2017. The workshop aims to identify lessons learned, challenges, achievements, and recommendations on the ways forward to continue building resilience in Southeast Asia as a result of DIPECHO’s contributions in the region for the last two decades. It is expected that different stakeholders, especially at the regional, national and local levels, will have a stronger understanding on how the impacts of DIPECHO