The University Participates in the Programme for Prevention, Preparedness, and Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters -PPRD South
30 September 2010
On September 30th 2010, the University participated in the meeting of the Programme for Prevention, Preparedness, and Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters (PPRD South) which was organized in Ramallah under the auspices of His Excellency, Said Abu Ali, the Palestinian Minister of Interior. Attendees included Rabiha Thiab, Minister of Women's Affairs, Brigadier Ahmed Riziq, Director-General of the Palestinian Civil Defense, Dr. Jalal Dabbeek, Director of the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Center at the University, as well as a delegation from the PPRD South program that included Mr. Pierluigi Soddu, PPRD South Executive Director, Mr. Antonio Barbera, Monitoring and Evaluation Expert of the PPRD South, and Erika Conti, Assistant Executive Director.
Minister Abu Ali started the meeting by welcoming the guests and the participants who represented several Palestinian ministries and institutions. He then spoke about the Ministry of Interior's plan which aims to complete the building of Palestinian institutions. This plan includes the development of the capabilities of the Palestinian civil defense in order to meet the needs of the people. Abu Ali also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and its role in enhancing the society's ability to face different kinds of disasters.
Thiab stressed the Palestinian Government's concern with the involvement of women in civil life pointing out that the Ministry has been leading such efforts in the country. Dr. Dabbeek mentioned that the participants in the meeting discussed the importance of participating with institutions and ministries working in the field of disaster management and cooperation program with the PPRD South regarding the information of the work schedule points including International Risk Atlas, Operational Manual of Civil Protection, technical assistance missions, and finally the role and importance of the PPRD South in civil protection in the Mediterranean countries.
The participants concluded their meeting by suggesting the importance of instruments evaluation through the development of national risk maps, international risk atlas, the operational manual for civil protection, and enhancing the role of prevention and response to disaster in order to avoid or reduce its risks. This can be achieved through organizing workshops for high-level employees, conducting technical assistance missions, and field visits. Also, to enhance response to disasters through organizing workshops, simulation training, imaginative practices, to focus on communication through the establishment of the PPRD South web gate, enhancing the PPRD's feasibility, executing the activities of the societal awareness raising program in addition to other steps.
The meeting was basically organized to bring experts together to plan for future implementation of programs that would ensure a proper response to different kinds of disasters.
