Dear Readers, Greetings from Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The Regional Community-based Avian-Human Influenza (AHI) management practitioner’s workshop was scheduled from 10-13 March and shared case studies identified from the ADB-funded project ‘Strengthening Community Based Management of AHI in Asia’ and will consist of examples of activities in community-based management of AHI in Asia. The case studies were used as a basis to highlight underlying themes such as community engagement and community participatory processes.  The case studies and the lessons identified will be collated to become part of a toolkit for community-based management of AHI in Asia. To know more about the project, please visit http://www.adpc.net/communityAHI-Asia/. ADPC proudly announces opening of an office in Dhaka, Bangladesh to coordinate activities for the Earthquake and Tsunami Preparedness Program. The office went under operation on 16 February 2008. The inaugural session was attended by Executive Director a.i., ADPC, Mr. Ian Rector, Chief Technical Advisor of Bangladesh Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP), Mr. Saidur Rahman,   Director of Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Centre (BDPC), Mr. N.M.S.I. Arambepola, Director of Urban Disaster Risk Management (UDRM) and Mr. Aloysius J. Rego, Director of Disaster Management Systems (DMS) from ADPC. ADPC will specifically carry out seismic hazard and vulnerability mapping of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet city corporation area, contingency planning for Earthquake hazard and training, advocacy and awareness raising with regard to Earthquake and Tsunami hazard. I also present the Asian Disaster Management News, September-December 2007: Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Education Sector (to download, please click ). I am further pleased to invite you to browse through our website www.adpc.net for more ADPC news updates, publications, events and training calendar for 2008. On that note, I now inform you about our activities for the month of February 2008.   Dr. Bhichit Rattakul Executive Director a.i. Asian Disaster Preparedness Center