Fair on disaster risk reduction begins

The Sustainable Development Resource Centre (SDRC), a non-governmental organisation, arranged the fair titled 'Know risk -- No risk' to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction observed globally on October 13. This year's theme is 'Learning from today's disasters for tomorrow's hazards'.

Students of more than 600 schools, eight national and six international organisations are taking part in the fair to exchange knowledge about disaster management. The fair is being held at House # 11, Road # 4, Dhanmondi.

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Some of the activities organised as part of the fair are youth dialogues, art competition, risk and game contests, workshops, discussions, songs and drama.

The organisers have requested all schools to submit art works to the SDRC office where 12 entries will be selected. These selections will be electronically transferred to the UN-ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) which would in return select 12 entries from all over the world for the 2005 calendar to be printed for the world conference on disaster reduction to be held in Kobe, Japan in January next.

All the entries will also be exhibited on the SDRC website, said Nasimul Haque, chairman of SDRC.

"Public awareness and understanding are key components in the achievement of disaster risk reduction,'' he said.

This seven-day exhibition is a stepping stone to a three-year campaign, which hopes to draw participants from all over the world.

The SDRC will also organise and facilitate a series of dialogues among adolescents in sharing knowledge and concerns regarding disaster risk reduction in schools, colleges and at community level across the country with the help of partner organisations, Arif Ul Islam, director of SDRC, told The Daily Star.