Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:07:54 PM Avagene Moore:Welcome to the EIIP Round Table! ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:08:06 PM Avagene Moore:Since the first of October, we have tried to get our Partners to take a more active role in the EIIP Virtual Forum by leading discussions that provide information for all of us while giving them an opportunity to increase their skills in the Virtual Forum. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:08:17 PM Avagene Moore:We are pleased today that an EIIP Partner stepped up to brief us on one of their sessions. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:08:45 PM Avagene Moore:Or one of their successful endeavors ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:09:09 PM Avagene Moore:The Organization of American States (OAS) Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment is with us to lead a discussion about their first Virtual Conference last week. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:09:20 PM Avagene Moore:The official title was the Virtual Conference on the Hemispheric Action Plan for Vulnerability Reduction in the Education Sector to Socio-Natural Disasters. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:09:30 PM Avagene Moore:We are very pleased to have Pedro Bastidos and Katherine Reilly, from OAS, with us today. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:09:45 PM Avagene Moore:Also Catherine de la Fe .. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:10:11 PM Avagene Moore:Once we are through with this Round Table discussion, Pedro and Katherine will be repeating the session at 2:15 PM Eastern time for their Spanish-speaking audience in the Virtual Forum. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:10:25 PM Avagene Moore:Pedro and Katherine, we appreciate you being here today. I now turn the floor to you, Pedro. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:10:28 PM Merrily Powell:I keep getting "client has timed out" problems Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:10:40 PM PBastidas:Hello everyone! . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:17 PM PBastidas:We would like to start by telling you about the three thematic areas discussed during the virtual conference ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:26 PM PBastidas:which also form the component sections of the actual Hemispheric Plan. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:32 PM PBastidas:These are .. . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:37 PM PBastidas:Academic Aspects . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:44 PM PBastidas:Citizen Participation . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:11:51 PM PBastidas:and Physical Infrastructure. . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:12:30 PM PBastidas:Academic Aspects is deals with curriculum development for the inclusion of natural hazard information in all levels of education . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:13:08 PM PBastidas:Citizen Participation deals with coordinating the effots of the private sector and NGOs with the education sector. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:13:28 PM PBastidas:Physical Infrastructure deals with reducing the vulnerability of school buildings. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:13:50 PM PBastidas:You can find the complete Hemispheric Plan at the Natural Hazards Project web site at . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:14:06 PM PBastidas:http://www.oas.org/EN/prog/nhp/virtual.htm Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:14:15 PM PBastidas:We would like to ask you at this time . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:14:32 PM PBastidas:Is there any particular area that you would be interested in discussing today? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:14:52 PM Avagene Moore:Thank you, Pedro. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:15:03 PM Avagene Moore:Before taking questions or comments from the audience ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:15:11 PM Avagene Moore:For anyone new to the Virtual Forum, we ask you to submit a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to speak. Please compose your question or comment while waiting to be recognized by the moderator. Once recognized, please send your input to the screen. First question, please. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:15:27 PM Amy Sebring:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:15:31 PM Avagene Moore:Amy Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:15:41 PM Amy Sebring:Can you summarize the results of last week's Virtual Conference? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:16:11 PM PBastidas:Most of our participants, even though we had many registrants from the USA and the Caribbean, were from Latin Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:16:17 PM PBastidas:America. (oops!) Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:16:34 PM PBastidas:We discussed activities under the three thematic areas . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:17:02 PM PBastidas:that can contribute at the hemispheric level to the implementation of the Hemispheric Plan. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:17:07 PM PBastidas:For example . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:17:35 PM PBastidas:Under the Physical Infrastructure Area, the following activities were proposed: Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:17:47 PM PBastidas:Preparation Process and Hemispheric Seminar/Workshop on Social Investment Funds and Vulnerability Reduction of Schools. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:17:56 PM PBastidas:Hemispheric School Retrofit Trust Fund Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:18:03 PM PBastidas:Seismic Evaluation of School Buildings in the Americas Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:18:28 PM PBastidas:And, in the Academic Aspects area, the following activities were proposed: Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:18:40 PM PBastidas:FLACSO-La Red Masters Degree in Disasters and Mitigation. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:18:48 PM PBastidas:Diploma in Architecture and Development: Improving Social Housing in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:18:56 PM PBastidas:Post-graduate Degree in Prevention, Planning and Integrated Management of Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:01 PM Marilyn Barker:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:04 PM PBastidas:Colloquium on Risk Management: The Nicaraguan and Chilean Experiences in Managua, Nicaragua. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:13 PM PBastidas:Environmental Education and Disaster Education: Conception, Integration, Results and Scenarios for the Third Millennium in Cuba Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:31 PM PBastidas:There were no activities proposed for the area of Public Participation. (done.) Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:34 PM Avagene Moore:Marilyn, your question please. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:19:50 PM Marilyn Barker:Do you deal w/ all hazards or specific? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:11 PM PBastidas:We deal with all NATURAL hazards. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:16 PM Avagene Moore:I have a question, Pedro .. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:24 PM Marilyn Barker:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:36 PM PBastidas:yes? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:40 PM Avagene Moore:I followed your conference all week and was pleased to see so much action going on..... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:20:48 PM Avagene Moore:You actually accomplished work .... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:21:07 PM Avagene Moore:My question: For those of us who do not speak Spanish ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:21:27 PM Avagene Moore:Will there be a report in Enlish that summarizes all your activities? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:21:55 PM PBastidas:Yes. We will be posting the conclusions and recommendations from the conference on our web site within the next three weeks. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:22:03 PM Avagene Moore:Marilyn. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:22:05 PM Marilyn Barker:How do your efforts affect what is happening with Hurricane Mitch? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:22:53 PM PBastidas:The Natural Hazards Project (that's where we work) is currently working on a project in Central America dealing with flood mitigation. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:23:40 PM Marilyn Barker:I bet thats tough given the local conditions Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:24:08 PM PBastidas:We have been working with COPECO (the national emergency organization in Honduras) in training individuals to respond to flood hazards in small river valleys. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:24:31 PM Avagene Moore:Other questions of Pedro? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:25:00 PM PBastidas:We have been concentrating on areas where technologically advanced techniques for flood mitigation are not in use (such as satelite). Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:25:04 PM Marilyn Barker:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:25:22 PM Avagene Moore:Pedro, what are the future plans for this effort based on your virtual conference results and experience? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:26:14 PM PBastidas:Well, this gets away from the issue of flood mitigation . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:26:31 PM Sandra Brady:Hi everybody, am Sandra Brady from Partners of the Americas and I just log in Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:26:45 PM Avagene Moore:(Please finish that; I didn't know you had more to say. Sorry) Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:26:46 PM PBastidas:There is an inter-american education program developed by the Ministers of Education of the Americas . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:27:17 PM PBastidas:We are working to have the Hemispheric Education Plan for the Reduction of Socio-Natural Disasters in the Education Sector in this program. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:27:35 PM PBastidas: . . . included in the Hemispheric Education Plan. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:28:24 PM PBastidas:We are trying to set up adhoc committees to coordinate the activities in each thematic area . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:29:23 PM PBastidas:The work of the committees will be to implement activities at the national, regional and hemipsheric level and in connection with the Hemispheric Plan. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:30:09 PM PBastidas:Hello Sandra. Sandra was the Coordinator of the Public Participation portion of the Virtual Conference. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:30:29 PM Avagene Moore:Marilyn, you had another question. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:31:04 PM Marilyn Barker:In Honduras, how does the economic conditions affect your efforts and are the "locals" accepting of the mitigation efforts? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:31:43 PM PBastidas:wow! a thesis! . . . . Let me see if I can tackle that. . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:32:03 PM PBastidas:What we are trying to do is get the involvement of the financial agencies such as the World Bank, IDB . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:32:15 PM PBastidas:in the mitigation activities. . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:32:41 PM PBastidas:At the local level, people are ready to embrace the programs . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:33:02 PM PBastidas:but I feel that this is due in part to the fact that we are working directly with the local governments and municipalities. . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:33:24 PM PBastidas:Right now, the local governments are week . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:33:53 PM PBastidas:but they are becoming stronger, gaining more responsability, and becoming more involved in the process of local government. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:34:20 PM Marilyn Barker:that is excellent! Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:35:21 PM Avagene Moore:Pedro, are there others with us online, such as Sandra, that would like to comment from their perspective of the Virtual conference? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:35:34 PM Avagene Moore:I will leave that up to you.\ Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:36:13 PM PBastidas:Sandra - why don't you say a few words about the Citizen Participation portion of the virtual conference. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:37:36 PM PBastidas:Well, perhaps Sandra has stepped out . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:37:47 PM PBastidas:Does anyone have any questions about the thematic areas: Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:38:03 PM PBastidas:Citizen Participation, Physical Infrastructure, Academic Aspects? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:38:07 PM Sandra Brady:Yes, I would just like to add to Pedro's comments the fact that organizations such as the World Bank Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:38:41 PM Sandra Brady:are now beginning to play an active role in Disaster Mangement Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:39:23 PM Sandra Brady:will help the Latin American countries to apply for support to carry out Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:39:52 PM Sandra Brady:projects that otherwise they cannot afford. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:40:38 PM Sandra Brady:We need to help our colleagues in LA with the process of applying for funds, Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:41:10 PM Sandra Brady:not just to the World Bank but to look for other organizations that support Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:41:32 PM Sandra Brady:Disaster Management / Mitigation. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:42:29 PM Sandra Brady:Now from the point of view of Citizen Participation, we also need to reach out to the communties Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:43:37 PM Sandra Brady:in LA and make the citizens aware of thier role in democratic elect governments Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:44:14 PM Sandra Brady:in which they as citizen have a voice and can ask their elected officials to comply with plans Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:45:06 PM Sandra Brady:such as organizing the community and create an emergency plan, Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:45:23 PM bruce c hildebrand:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:45:25 PM catherine de la fe:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:45:43 PM Sandra Brady:ask their officials to find resources for future disaster mitigation. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:46:10 PM Sandra Brady:Does anyone else wants to comment on that? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:46:28 PM Avagene Moore:We have 2 questions, Sandra. Bruce. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:46:45 PM Avagene Moore:Bruce, you are first. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:47:20 PM bruce c hildebrand:What role will the internet play? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:48:01 PM Avagene Moore:Bruce, is your question to Pedro, Sandra or both? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:48:58 PM Avagene Moore:Pedro, we lost Bruce.. please respond. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:49:21 PM PBastidas:The virtual conference last week was our first attempt at using the internet for forwarding an effort directed at citizen participation. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:50:01 PM Avagene Moore:Catherine, you have a question. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:50:01 PM PBastidas:However, not all Latin American countries are able to participate in the electronic forum yet. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:50:29 PM PBastidas:This is from Katherine now: we experience many problems with compatability, lack of skills in electronic media etc. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:51:25 PM PBastidas:While the internet will definately play an important role in the dissemination of information - which of course supports public participation . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:51:56 PM PBastidas:you still cannot expect to drop a laptop with a satelite link-up into the middle of a rural area and expect that this will. . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:52:11 PM PBastidas:result in democracy. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:52:35 PM catherine de la fe:this is for pedro, during the virtual conference, ideas were given about the implementation of the hemispheric action plan at the university and post-graduate level, in the academic aspects area, has there been much success on implementing programs at the elementary and high school levels? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:53:13 PM PBastidas:Yes, there has been some progress in this area . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:53:28 PM PBastidas:Many Latin American countries have included natural hazard topics in the curriculum . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:53:41 PM PBastidas:Not as a specific subject . .. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:54:01 PM Sandra Brady:This is Sandra, can I answer Catherine questions also? Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:54:16 PM PBastidas:however, it is included in the context of various subjects as a cross-cutting issue . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:54:52 PM PBastidas:besides, with the support of the NGO's there is work on emergency response activities for the school community . . . Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:55:15 PM PBastidas:such as duck and cover, drills, first aid . . . etc. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:55:22 PM PBastidas:Please go ahead Sandra. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:55:51 PM Sandra Brady:Partners of the Americas has worked with Ministries of Education in six countries in LA since 1991, and although it has been Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:56:28 PM Sandra Brady:a long and hard road, we have been successful. I would like to Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:56:52 PM Sandra Brady:mention our School Emergency Preparedness Program in Nicaragua Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:57:20 PM Sandra Brady:where the pprogram started from pre-ke to third grade, then it Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:57:45 PM Sandra Brady:continue to all of the grammar grades, it has now move to Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:58:05 PM Sandra Brady:secondary school in the Ministry of Education in Nicaragua Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:58:35 PM Sandra Brady:is now exploring the possibility to included in the curriculum for students getting a Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:58:51 PM Sandra Brady:degree to become teachers. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:59:20 PM Sandra Brady:In doing so, Nicaragua will cover all school levels and is already planning the Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:59:48 PM Sandra Brady:road for the future teachers. Tue Oct 27, 1998 01:59:50 PM catherine de la fe:? Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:00:00 PM Avagene Moore:Thank you, Pedro, for leading our discussion. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:00:12 PM Avagene Moore:We are about out of time folks. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:00:28 PM Avagene Moore:Thanks to Katherine, Sandra and other OAS staff with us today. We appreciate our audience also. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:00:35 PM Avagene Moore:The transcript will be posted in about a week; please look for that. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:00:45 PM Avagene Moore:Tomorrow, Weds Oct 28, we have an interesting session planned on The EPA RMP (Risk Management Program). ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:01:00 PM Avagene Moore:Our special guests will be Jeff Lorrain and Kelly Carmichael. Join us at 12:00 Noon Eastern time in the Technology Arena. ... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:01:39 PM Avagene Moore:Pedro and the OAS staff have their Spanish audience coming in now. Everyone is welcome to stay for the next portion of the program if you like... Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:01:47 PM Avagene Moore:Any closing comment, Pedro? Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:02:33 PM PBastidas:Para los que quieren participar en el discurso en Espan~ol - comencaremos a las 2:15 hora de noreste de los Estados Unidos. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:02:52 PM PBastidas:Thank you very much for your questions. We have found this a very useful and interesting discussion. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:03 PM Avagene Moore:Thank you!! Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:16 PM Avagene Moore:Very interesting and informative. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:18 PM Amy Sebring:I would like to say that Katherine Reilly did a great job, and the challenge of Internet literacy is not unique to Central and South America by any means!!!! Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:30 PM Avagene Moore:Very true, Amy. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:36 PM PBastidas:We would like to invite you to join us in the follow-up activities for the implementaiton of the Hemispheric Plan. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:03:56 PM Marilyn Barker:This was a great session, I look forward to learning more. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:04:38 PM catherine de la fe:thank you amy and avagene for giving us this opportunity! Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:04:44 PM Avagene Moore:On behalf of the EIIP Virtual Forum, we want to be involved and certainly want you to take advantage of the features we have within the Virtual Forum. Tue Oct 27, 1998 02:05:03 PM Avagene Moore:You are welcome, Catherine. Has been a pleasure.