Do your bit: Focus on days highlighting international issues International Days and Observances
International Day for Disaster Reduction
11 October
In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly designated the second Wednesday of October International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (resolution 44/236, 22 December 1989).

The theme of the International Day for Disaster Reduction and campaign for 2006 “Disaster risk reduction begins at school” aims at promoting disaster risk education and school safety.

Children are especially vulnerable to the threats posed by natural hazards. At the same time, they can be powerful agents of change, provided they are well armed with knowledge about how to prepare in advance, how to act on warnings and how to reduce risk at home and in their communities. It is essential, therefore, to make disaster risk education a component of national school curricula, and to ensure that children understand how natural hazards interact with the environment.

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General

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GDRC has been working on themes related to this international day/observance, in the Disaster Mitigation theme of its programme on Urban Environmental Management

GDRC therefore reaffirms its committment to uphold the objectives of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, and work towards better understanding of, and action on, promoting an integrated approach to disaster mitigation and management.

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