World Disaster Reduction Day
October 13, 1999
"Prevention Pays"

Discussion: Where Do We Go from Here?

Contents:

Summary
Discussion Questions
Online Transcript
Download Transcript (MS Word File)
IDNDR Home Page
General Conclusions of the 1999 Programme Forum

SUMMARY

Edited Version of October13, 1999 Transcript
EIIP Virtual Forum Presentation

"World Disaster Reduction Day--
Where Do We Go From Here"

Amy Sebring
EIIP Technical Projects Coordinator

We used the occasion of World Disaster Reduction day to try out a new session format. Ten discussion questions were posted in advance (see below) with additional background and transitional material provided by the moderator. Participation by the audience was excellent, and in feedback after the session, participants were favorable about using this format again for other issues.

Most participants agreed that some type of continuing effort to focus attention on disaster mitigation is needed, and that a well-coordinated campaign would be useful, however it must reach and support activities at the local community level. The U.N. is generally perceived as the institution with sufficient global scope for a world-wide campaign.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Did you ever do anything in your jurisdiction during the decade to observe World Disaster Reduction Day? If so what?
  2. Did you ever receive any briefing materials from anybody and/or did you use the press kits provided by the IDNDR?
  3. Do you feel that because the IDNDR has been a UN program, that it has been downplayed in the U.S.? What is the general attitude toward the UN in your community?
  4. Do you think a framework of some type such as IDNDR is needed in the future to continue to focus attention on disaster reduction? If so, do you favor continuing on with the UN framework, or should there be some other international form?
  5. How should future U.S. participation in an international disaster reduction framework be organized? Who should be included on any such U.S. committee (or other countries)?
  6. What could a national committee or coalition for disaster reduction do to support community-based actions, assuming they had no major dollars to spend on it? What should elements of their "strategic plan" include?
  7. Do you feel that if the true total costs of disasters were quantified and made known, that this might assist in obtaining funding for mitigation?
  8. Do you think that it might be helpful that if any project is required to perform an environmental impact analysis as a condition of federal or state funding, that it be required to analyze the potential affect on risks from natural hazards?
  9. In the future, do you think a well-coordinated national, state, and local level "Disaster Reduction Day" could be useful?
  10. If you received a media kit in advance, what would it contain and would you use it?

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