Disaster Reduction: Celebration In Yangon

A ceremony to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction took place at the Yangon Region Government Office, Thursday with the attendance of the Yangon Region Chief Minister, the Regional Ministers, NGOs and INGOs. 

Yangon Region has held the ceremony on the International Day for Disaster Reduction since 2013, aiming to reduce disaster risks and how to manage preparedness measures for natural disasters.

Director, Yangon Region Relief & Resettlement Dept. , WIN SHWE: Our department has two purposes. The first one is to relief the disaster victims and the second one is to share knowledge to the public to reduce the loss of their lives and properties in case of natural disasters. In 100-day plan, we conducted awareness trainings and pre-arrange exercises in coastal regions like Rakhine and Mon States as well as Ayeyawady, Yangon and Taninthayi Regions. 

Yangon Region Chief Minister, the Regional Ministers, officials and the organizations that signed MOUs with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, NGOs and INGOs attended the ceremony. 

Flood Operation Manager, Int’l Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, JESPER FRIDOLF: 

“They are part of the whole preparedness structure for the community. So that’s how we engaged with the community, we support them in the preparedness and also when disasters strike during the relief effects, the recovery effects and then the long term preparedness for the next time.”

UN designated officially October 13 as the International Day for Disaster Reduction in 2009. But Myanmar started to hold this kind of ceremony in 2010.