Update – 70 Days to Go

Preparations are well underway for the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and World Reconstruction Conference (WRC) at the Geneva International Conference Centre, Rue de Varembé 17, Geneva, Switzerland from 8-13 May 2011. Formal opening is on 10 May. We hope to welcome the UN Secretary-General. The preliminary draft schedule for the Global Platform 2011 is available at https://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2011/programme/.

We continue to facilitate consultations with stakeholders, including an online dialogue via the Global Platform website with local authorities and NGO’s starting in March. Please also note that the submission for the WRC innovation competition is 15 March 2011. For more details see http://www.wrc-2011.org/wbwrc/wrc_conf_competition.html.

All delegations are entitled to submit a written statement to the Global Platform. Plenary statements from delegations will be limited to three minutes per statement. Delegations are kindly requested to inform the UNISDR secretariat on their intention to give a statement and, once available, submit a written copy of the statement. For details see https://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2011/programme/statements/

We have already received a number of registrations. We would kindly ask all participants to register as soon as possible under their relevant delegations, to ensure timely issuance of visas and other practical preparations. We suggest delegations include high-level representatives and diverse range of stakeholders, for example from local government, communities and the private sector. Individuals who are not part of any delegation are requested to contact their national focal point to be included in their national delegation. Governments are requested to notify UNISDR (email [email protected]) of the full composition of their delegation by no later than 11 March 2011.

We would like to remind participants to book hotels immediately as competing events will make accommodation in Geneva very tight. We have arranged an agreement with American Express in Geneva to assist with accommodation. For participants and delegates whose travel is not paid for by the UNISDR, American Express will charge CHF (Swiss Francs) 35 per reservation, to be paid by credit card. Further information and web-links to booking services are available on the Global Platform website at https://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2011/announcements/v.php?id=17762.

Participants are expected to cover their own costs. The UNISDR secretariat is able to fund one delegate from each Least Developed Country (LDC) and Small Island Developing State (SIDS). Requests for travel funding should be submitted to the UNISDR secretariat in an official letter (stating the name of the funded delegate) by your Government (via your Permanent Mission) as soon as possible before 11 March 2011, in order to expedite arrangements.