On November 10^th 2010, the National Agency for Disasters Risk Mitigation and the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Center (ESSEC) at the University organized a workshop in Ramallah in which the participants discussed the international procedures of disaster reduction. Representatives of the private and public sectors, instructors, doctors, local figures, experts as well as representatives from the UNRWA, the Aviation Authority and several municipalities participated in the event.

 

Wasef Eriqat, Director of the National Agency for Disasters Risk Mitigation, spoke about international procedures related to disaster management while Dr. Jalal Dabbeek, Director of the ESSEC at the University and the Vice Director of the National Agency for Disasters Risk Mitigation, discussed the relationship between disaster risk reduction, climate change and sustainable development.

 

In the first session of the workshop the participants discussed the issue of disaster management and the related international procedures, in addition to the national systems used to reduce disaster risks and disaster management planning on the local level. The session also included a film that told the story of an earthquake that struck China that left millions of people dead, missing and homeless. The earthquake destroyed thousands of towns and villages. The film revealed the procedures followed on the local, regional and international levels describing in detail every stage of the rescue and recovery process aftermath.

 

The film included scenes of rescue and illustrated the work of emergency troops and their equipments. The film aimed to introduce the participants to the emergency procedures that are followed in some countries where earthquakes are most common such as China. It highlighted the importance of different elements in the rescue process including first aid, rescue troops, media coverage and a team of public relations that takes the responsibility of coordinating efforts between the different local institutions and international organizations with respect to aftermath rescue.

 

In the second session, Dr. Dabbeek presented a lecture titled "Seismic Disasters, Climate Change and the Role of Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction System in Facing them" in which he spoke about the capabilities and potentials of the Palestinian society as well as the standards of the international institutions regarding disaster risk reduction. He also discussed the objectives of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and Hyogo Framework fort Action 2005-2015 and emphasized the necessity to consider disaster risk reduction in Palestine as a national priority.

 

Dr. Dabbeek also discussed the evaluation of disasters risks and the relationship between risks, sustainable development and global warming, as well as the 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction Campaign. He also familiarized the participants with the "Ten Essentials" to make cities resilient.

 

Furthermore, he introduced the audience to the different activities and programs that the ESSEC performs such as the Seismic Triangle Project which is financed by Rothschild, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

 

At the end of the workshop, the participants agreed on carrying out real steps to reduce disaster risks, to work on enhancing preventive measures that would help in controlling disastrous situations and minimize their negative impacts on the people and to reinforce national coordination between different institutions.

 

It is vital to enforce laws and regulations that would enhance local institutions' performance on disaster risk reduction and make the country more resilient to different disastrous situations including earthquakes.