UN International Day For Disaster Reduction was marked in the ECO Region

ECO Member States and partner organizations celebrated the “UN International Day for Disaster Reduction” on 13th October 2017 in Ankara in a befitting manner. The ECO Secretariat and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of Republic of Turkey jointly organized the event. The event was inaugurated by Deputy President of AFAD, Mr. Hamza TASDELEN, and the ECO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Seyed Jalaledin Alavi Sabzevari who addressed the audience about the activities of their relevant organizations and the importance of the UN International Day.

The event continued its proceedings with a roundtable discussions attended by Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director of Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Country Director and Mr. Jean-Marie Garelli, Deputy UNHCR Representative in Turkey who highlighted the importance of awareness of disaster risk reduction. They also shared with the audience the relevant activities of their organizations as regard disaster reduction, particularly in terms of reducing the number of the affected people, which is the theme of this year UN International Day.

At the end, a video message by Mr. Robert Glasser, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction was displayed.

In parallel, AFAD organized a national event where hundreds of school students, teachers, and a large number of disaster and emergency stakeholders got together at the AFAD premises engaging in activities, exercises and simulations focusing on slogan of “Home Safe Home”.