UNESCO and Youth and Young Professionals to Talk about Disaster Risk Reduction

UNESCO and U-INSPIRE Alliance, alliance of Asia and the Pacific Youth and Young Professionals in Science, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation for Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, and Cesilience, organized a series of virtual conversations on Disaster Risk Reduction called: Let’s Talk DRR!

A series of six (6) episodes of conversations on disaster risk reduction between UNESCO and U-INSPIRE Alliance was held from 13 November until 18 December 2020. The topics of the conversation covers the eight (8) themes of UNESCO’s contribution to Disaster Risk Reduction. The aim of this conversation is to promote UNESCO’s and members of U-INSPIRE Alliance’s activities surrounding those themes. The objectives are: 1). To link UNESCO’s activities with Youth and Young Professionals; 2). To give a platform for Youth and Young Professionals to share their activities, views, and concern on the relevant DRR topics; and 3). To inspire and motivate other youth and young professionals to engage and be involved in UNESCO’s and U-INSPIREs’ program and activities in disaster risk reduction.

The Let’s Talk DRR conversation engaged with 18 expert resource persons and 5 moderators. Seven (7) speakers are UNESCO’s experts mainly from UNESCO Office in Paris, 9 speakers are from youth and young professionals, and 2 international speakers from Universities. Three episodes were moderated by UNESCO Office Jakarta and 3 episodes was moderated by U-INSPIRE Alliance. A total of 1.339 participants (646 Women, 674 Men, and 19 prefer not to say) from approximately 24 countries attended the Let’s Talk DRR episodes. The range of the age of the attendees are: 39 participants are less than 16 year old; between 17-20 year of age 241 persons; between 21-30 year of age 369 persons; between 31-40 year of age 221 persons; between 41-50 year of age 221 persons; between 51-60 year of age 97 persons; above 60 year old 25 persons; and 126 persons prefer not to say their age.

The Let’s Talk DRR was delivered using the Zoom Webinar platform with a live stream in UNESCO Office Jakarta Facebook and U-INSPIRE YouTube channels.

The first episode was on the topic of Science, Engineering, & Technology and Innovation into action in DRR. This episode was moderated by Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representatives of UNESCO – UNESCO Office Jakarta with the speaker from UNESCO, Mr. Kristof Vandenberghe (Chief of Section SC/EES/EGR) and two speakers from U-INSPIRE Alliance, Dr. Nuraini Rahma Hanifa (Secretary General of U-INSPIRE Alliance and lead of U-INSPIRE Indonesia) and Mr. Sufyan Aslam (Co-Chairs U-INSPIRE Alliance and member of U-INSPIRE Malaysia). This episode was attended by 284 Participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 1 (slide to minutes 03:57 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/661337534557442

The second episode was on the topic of Knowledge Management for Resilience. This episode was moderated by Dr. Mizan Bustanul Fuady Bisri, Assembly Member, U-INSPIRE Alliance with the speaker from UNESCO, Mr. Nigel Thomas Crawhall (CHIEF OF SECTIONSC/PCB/SII); one international expert, Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga (Professor of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Head, Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield) and one speaker from U-INSPIRE Philippines, Ms Maria Julie Anne Culibar. This episode was attended by 277 participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 2 (slide to minutes 14:00 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/353306475766935

The third episode was on the topic of Early Warning Systems. This episode was moderated by Mr. Ardito M Kodijat, Disaster Risk Reduction and Tsunami Information Unit, UNESCO Office Jakarta with two speakers from UNESCO, Dr. Denis Chang Seng (Programme Specialist Ocean Observation & Services Section /Tsunami Unit of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO) and Mr. Raza Shah (Science sector National Professional Officer, UNESCO Office Islamabad) and one speaker from U-INSPIRE Maldives, Ms. Mariyam Shizna, (Program Coordinator of the Programs Department of National Disaster Management Authority, Maldives). This episode was attended by 159 participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 3 (slide to minutes 24:50 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/703520780299849

The fourth episode was on the topic of Built Environment and School Safety. This episode was moderated by Ms. Risye Dwiyani, M.Eng. of U-INSPIRE Indonesia with speaker from UNESCO, Dr. Soichiro Yasukawa (Programme Specialist for DRR and Resilience at the section for Earth Sciences and Geo-Hazards Risk Reduction Unit) and two speakers from U-INSPIREs, Mr. Kausal Raj Gnyawali (Science Entrepreneur and PhD Researcher in Geological Hazard at the University of British Columbia/U-INSPIRE Nepal Lead) and Mr. Satbek Sarzhnov (Chief Specialist of the Scientific, Technical, and International Projects Sector of the Institute of Seismology, Member of DACRYN/U-INSPIRE Central Asia). This episode was attended by 237 participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 4 (slide to minutes 20:30 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/393043545454159

The fifth episode was on the topic of Disaster Risk Reduction for Heritage Sites (Natural and Cultural heritage, Biosphere reserve, and Geoparks). This episode was moderated by Mr. Sufyan Aslam (Co-Chairs U-INSPIRE Alliance and member of U-INSPIRE Malaysia) with speaker from UNESCO, Dr. Sachi Suzuki (Coordinator Japan Funds in Trust UNESCO Office Jakarta) and two speakers from U-INSPIREs Prof. Bingwei Tian, (U-INSPIRE Huaxia – China, Associate Professor of the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR) at Sichuan University) and Dr. Tanot Unjah (Research Fellow at Institute for Environment and Development – LESTARI). This episode was attended by 234 participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 5 (slide to minutes 14:22 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/

The last episode (episode 6) was on the topic of Nature Based Solution for Disaster Risk Reduction. This episode was moderated by Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representatives of UNESCO – UNESCO Office Jakarta with the speaker from UNESCO, Dr. Irina Pavlova (Programme specialist in environmental sciences, climate change and natural hazards), and two speakers from U-INSPIREs Dr. Annisa Triyanti (U-INSPIRE Indonesia, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Utrech University, Netherlands) and Dr. Ranit Chatterjee (CRRP / U-INSPIRE India, JST Post-Doctoral Fellow, Kyoto University, Japan). This episode was attended by 148 participants. To watch the Let’s Talk DRR Episode 6 (slide to minutes 16:00 for the conversation): https://www.facebook.com/602642980127883/videos/221389046171957