On 30 March 2014 a delegation of experts and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) visited the Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction Centre (UPDRRC) at An-Najah and participated in a workshop entitled: “Preparing Palestine for disasters: an assessment”.

Dr. Dabeek, Head of the UPDRRC, welcomed the delegation and gave an overview on the activities and studies carried out by the Centre. He focused on the activities accomplished under the “Disaster Risk Reduction in Palestine” project (SASPARM). He also discussed the weaknesses and strengths of Palestinian society and institutions, results of assessments of Palestinian risk reduction in the field of disaster planning, seismic scenarios, what those risks are and potential losses, and finally, a number of comprehensive recommendations on how to develop Palestinian institutions’ capacity to cope with disasters.

In turn, Dr. Salameh, Director of the Community Service and Continuing Education Centre, talked about a number of community service programmes and voluntary programmes University students undertake through the Community Service Centre. Highlighting the role volunteers play in disaster planning and management.

The UN delegation raised many issues and questions, challenging the Centres on the mechanisms necessary to address elements of vulnerability and where there could be development to reduce risk in Palestinian governmental and non-governmental institutions. The delegation also discussed with the Centre’s their respective vision on how to develop capacities in disaster risk reduction in general, and emergencies in particular.

Following the workshop, Prof. Natsheh, the Acting President of An-Najah, met with the delegation to talk about the academic institutions role and An-Najah’s scientific centre’s role, in particular, in capacity building to cope with disasters. Later, the delegation was given a tour of the Old Campus and its facilities.

Finally, Dr. Dabeek gave them a field tour to some mountainous areas surrounding the city of Nablus, where they explored the topographic nature, its roads and buildings.

Notes:

-          The workshop was attended by: the visiting delegation; Dr. Jalal Dabeek; Dr. Ayman Muhsen; Eng. Hatem Al-Wahish; and Mr. Walaa Ajaj; and Dr. Bilal Salameh.

-          The international delegation included: Mr. Alois A. Hirschmugl; Mr. Nigel Woof; Mr. Albrecht A. Beck; Mr. Abdel Qader Abu Awad; Ms. Nihan Erdogan; Mrs. Nisreen Alami; Mr. Iyad Shwaikeh; Mr. Majed Abu Kobi; Mrs. Rima Abu Middain; Mr. Husam Tubail; and Mr. Mumoun Abo Zraiq.

-          The workshop was an activity organised within the international programme of identifying and assessing the needs of the institutions of the Palestinian National Authority to cope with disasters.