myAmrita

A short note by Dr. Sunil D. S., Chair Person, Social Work Department at Amritapuri to commemorate the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction.

The United Nation’s International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction is annually observed on the second Wednesday of October to raise the profile of disaster risk reduction. It also encourages people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nations and to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction.
 

Our university can contribute a lot in spreading the message of disaster risk reduction. We serve as the best platform, as it is in line with Priority 3 of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: “Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels.” Our interventions are very crucial at this point in time, as the world is experiencing serious problems such as rise in sea level, deforestation, pollution, expanding deserts and catastrophic weather-events leading to large scale displacement, homelessness, migration, and conflicts.
 

Let the memory of this day shape our thoughts and actions to focus mainly on peace and conflict resolution, sustainable development and the use of science and technology to advance human welfare.