Georgia: DIPECHO partners celebrate the International Day for Disaster Reduction

The International Day for Disaster Reduction will be jointly celebrated by all partner organizations implementing the DIPECHO II programme: 'Supporting Disaster Risk Reduction amongst Institutions and Vulnerable Communities in the South Caucasus', funded by European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department and Civil Protection department (ECHO).

The International Day for Disaster Reduction is organized every year to celebrate and raise awareness for the small but crucial steps we all can take to reduce the risk of being harmed by a natural disaster. It also encourages people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nations.

The theme for 2012 is 'Women and Girls: the Invisible Force of Resilience' which draws attention to the fact that women’ and girls’ efforts to protect and rebuild their communities before and after disasters are often unrecognized.

The event in Tbilisi will celebrate the contribution women and girls are making before, during and after a disaster. Beneficiaries from each organization currently implementing the DIPECHO II programme will highlight various roles of women and girls in building community resilience. Kindergarten pupils supported by Save the Children / Arbeiter Samariter Bund will perform a puppet show; members of the Oxfam/Black Sea Eco Academy established village emergency groups will conduct simulation activities; Danish Red Cross together with the Georgian Red Cross Society will present a new psychosocial game and female teachers supported by Action Contre la Faim will share their experience in working with children on disaster risk reduction.

The event will be concluded with an award ceremony and presentations of paintings and essays by the students from the UNICEF-DIPECHO programme pilot schools who have won the contest launched specially for the International Day for Disaster Reduction.

The event will also feature exhibition of children’s artwork on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction as well as the display of DRR publications and other visual materials developed by the DIPECHO partners and other key stakeholders.