Editorial Dear Readers, ADPC presented the outgoing Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. William Paterson a plaque of appreciation for "advancing disaster risk reduction in Asia, 2005-2008" on 30 June 2008.  The Ambassador has served on ADPC's Board of Trustees (BOT) and has agreed to join ADPC's International Advisory Committee (IAC) to serve as an 'Ambassador' for ADPC in Canberra.  A vocal advocate for ADPC during his tenure, ADPC acknowledges and appreciates the Australian Government/AusAID's strong support of ADPC for many years. I now inform you about our activities for the month of June 2008 and please browse through our website www.adpc.net for more ADPC news updates, publications, events and training calendar for 2008. Dr. Bhichit Rattakul Executive Director Asian Disaster Preparedness Center     ADPC in action ADPC signs MoU with University of Madras, 2 Jun, India The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Madras, India will broadly focus on information & communication in disaster risk reduction. Activities will include training information focal points, media on tools, delivery and related publications.    Forecast briefing, 11 Jun, Dili, East Timor ADPC and the National Directorate of Meteorology and Geophysics (NDMG) of Timor-Leste conducted a forecast briefing for members of the National Working Group (NWG) of the Climate Forecast Applications (CFA) for Disaster Mitigation Program in Timor-Leste.  The briefing familiarized the NWG members with the weather forecast information that will be developed and issued by NDMG and ADPC under the CFA program. Seasonal forecast products that are issued by various regional and global forecasting centers were also presented and discussed during the briefing. About 30 members representing various government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations participated in the briefing. The CFA program in Southeast Asia, which covers Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste, is supported by USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA).   Evaluation of the Government of India –UNDP Disaster Risk Management Program ADPC will carryout evaluation of the Disaster Risk Management program with a team comprising professionals from partner organizations. The key objectives of the evaluation will be assessment of the measures required to institutionalize DRM in the Government system for long‐term sustainability and lessons learned for an approach required to cover all at risk areas of the country; analysis how DRM activities to be further mainstreamed to ensure sustainability, integration with the policy and institutional framework put in place by the Government of India and the State Governments. Identifying strengths of the strategies pursued under the program namely capacity building, awareness generation, community‐based disaster preparedness approach, partnership building, knowledge networking, management effectiveness and assessment of coverage of cross cutting issues in the implementation of the program including mainstreaming within the government programmes, gender sensitivity, equity approaches and linkages to ensure empowerment of its elected members and the future strategy/ corrective measures required to be adopted. Assessment of the partnership strategy includes integration of the program with stakeholders such as academic and training institutes, engineers and architects, health workers, corporate sector, civil society and the community.  A key result of the evaluation will be the graduation strategy for institutionalizing the efforts in the Government and sustainability of the program outcomes; and specific guidance for action by the Government and all stakeholders on the long term programs that need to be undertaken to implement the strategy.  Support to UNDP-BCPR Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project ADPC won a global bid to support UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery’s (UNDP-BCPR) Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project (CRM-TASP). The CRM-TASP will be implemented in four countries in different continents, namely Armenia, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Mozambique.  The project aims to increase convergence in risk management priorities amongst national and local stakeholders and the international community, and to strengthen the climate risk management capacity of key national, regional institutions, UNDP, and UN country offices. The project will be implemented from July 2008 through December 2009.   Facilitating the integration of tsunami warning by strengthening multi-hazard warning systems   ADPC has recently started a project titled “Facilitating the integration of tsunami warning by strengthening multi-hazard warning systems in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines” with support from the American Red Cross (ARC). The project will establish/strengthen early warning national forums in the target countries, build the capacity of National Red Cross Societies (NRCSs) to translate hazard information into response options and to communicate these options to at-risk communities, and facilitate a system audit in order to test the functionality and reliability of early warning systems through NRCSs and in collaboration with national focal points for early warning and disaster management, and relevant non-governmental organizations. The project will be implemented from July 2008 to June 2010.     Training activity under the joint National program “Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Management, 2005-9, Tehran, I.R. Iran ADPC is pleased to announce new activities under the ongoing five year National joint Program of the Government of I.R. Iran and UNDP titled Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Management (DRM). The training program is planned on Knowledge Management with participants from Information Portal (IP), National Disaster Task Force Thematic Groups (mainly Earthquake, Drought, Flood, Health, Public Education Working Groups) and representatives from DRM related Knowledge network section in other implementing partners. The overall program activities includes collecting and consolidating existing information on disaster risks in Iran from a range of dispersed institutions through an information hub. This information will be disseminated through an information portal that linked local, intermediate, national and international partners in risk reduction.  Training and Learning     National course on Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction, 3-6 Jun, Manila, Philippines The first National Course on Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction was held at Quezon City. The course was one of the last activities of the Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Risk Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE)-Philippines project. The course was a customized version of the Regional Course designed and facilitated by the ADPC-Urban Disaster Mitigation team together with the five PROMISE country partners.  Course objectives were to strengthen the capacity of local government officers in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and to provide the framework and tools in integrating DRR in local governance. The participants learned basic concepts in disaster risk management and governance, designing frameworks for integrating disaster risk reduction in development planning and implementation, applicable strategies, methods and tools in risk sensitive development planning and implementation. They also related experiences and practices in integrating disaster risk reduction in local governance to applications in workplace/local conditions. Back-to-back training activities for ADPC partner organizations, 11-14 Jun, Timor-Leste, Dili, and East Timore Under the Climate Forecast Applications (CFA) for Disaster Mitigation in Southeast Asia Program, ADPC conducted training on location-specific weather forecasting for forecasters working with the National Directorate of Meteorology and Geophysics (NDMG) of Timor-Leste from 12 to 14 July 2008 in Dili. Eighteen forecasters successfully completed the training. A basic training on using GIS tools and satellite imagery for agro-meteorological applications was also conducted for the Ministry of Agriculture and other ADPC partner organizations in Timor-Leste, such as the NDMG, UN World Food Program, CARE and CONCERN. Ten participants completed the training, enabling them to use freeware GIS tools for mapping and maintaining agro-meteorological databases within their home organizations.     ADPC conducts training in Nepal, 17-22 Jun, Nepal Training on "Landslide Risk Management" was organized in Chitwan district of Nepal. 50 Participants from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Department of Roads, Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention, Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads, Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management, Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal Engineering College, Department of Environmental Science, Amrit Science Campus and the Roads Board of Nepal participated in the three days of training. The training discussed policies for land risk management, landslide risk assessment approaches in Nepal, landslide mitigation (structural and non-structural) measures in Nepal and facilitated onsite experience to develop landslide impact mitigation measures. The training was part of Asian Program for Regional Capacity Enhancement for Landslide Impact Mitigation (RECLAIM) under RECLAIM II and jointly organized by ADPC and Geo-environment Unit, Department of Roads, Nepal. ADPC conducts Disaster Risk Management training, 30 Jun-4 Jul, Kabul, Afghanistan  26 participants from NGOs and international organizations in Afghanistan namely, United Nation Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), Tearfund, CHA, FOCUS Humanitarian assistance, Concern Worldwnaizaide, Save the children, COAR, Oxfam GB, SERVE, IAM, SNI and Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) undertook the DRM training. The training program was supported by Tearfund UK. Community Basic Emergency Response Course (CBERC), 5-7 Jul,  Quang Tri, Vietnam Under the DANIDA-supported Enhancing Community Resilience to Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia” project, ADPC and the Vietnam National Red Cross (VNRC) organized a CBERC training course in Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri provinces in Vietnam from 30 Jun- 11 Juy 2008. This training is part of a larger capacity building effort to support the implementation of risk reduction activities in Vietnam. Other activities conducted during this period included the establishment of a community early warning center in Ngu Loc Commune, Thanh Hoa Province, installation/upgrading of public address system for last mile communication in Trung Giang Commune, Quang Tri, and provision of support for the implementation of priority risk reduction activities in Trung Giang and Triue An Commune, Quang Tri. First Sub-regional (BIMP) Exercise Management Training Workshop,  9-13 Jun, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam The training programme developed capacities of the people responsible for exercise management for preparedness, prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines (BIMP) and Singapore. The sub-regional BIMP workshop was designed to train national personnel who were responsible for the development of the BIMP exercise. Partners were Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, Ministry of Health Brunei, ASEAN+3 Emerging Infectious Disease Programme (EID), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and ADPC. National study tour mission, 8-12 Jul, Hanoi, Vietnam The study tour is part of the project on ‘Strengthening community-based approaches to management of AHI in Asia’, initiated by the AHI-NGO-RC/RC-Asia Partnership – with ADPC, Care, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The project is funded by the Canadian government via the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The purpose of the mission is to assist the conduct and evaluate of the first National study tour (hosted by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Local-level early warning dissemination system, 10-11 Jul, Colombo, Sri Lanka ADPC and the Disaster Management Center of Sri Lanka will organize a workshop on the development of local-level early warning dissemination system under the Tsunami Alert Rapid Notification System (TARNS) project from 10 to 11 July 2008 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The workshop aims to enhance the early warning dissemination procedures in Sri Lanka for rapid alert notification through the development of district-level warning dissemination procedures and incorporation of these procedures into the national system. TARNS is a part of a broader program on establishing a multi-hazard early warning system for tsunami and hydro-meteorological hazards for Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, which is being facilitated by ADPC and funded by the Tsunami Regional Trust Fund through UNESCAP.   ADPC Website Resources News Coverage: First Sub-regional (BIMP) Exercise Management Training Workshop, Brunei Darussalam, 91-3 Jun 2008 Tropical Coasts, December 2007 issue featured article on disaster risk reduction in Asia – emerging trends and solutions by Mr. N.M.S.I Arambepola, ADPC Tropical Coasts, December 2007 issue featured article on Local Knowledge and Practices for Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation by Lorna P. Victoria (the article focused ADPC’s Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Risk Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia, PROMISE-Philippines) ADPC Newsletter. Asian Disaster Management News, Jan-Apr 08 Theme: Realigning Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction E-newsletter: Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE)-Disaster Mitigation in Asia: Issue 60 Digital Review of Asia Pacific 2007-2008-The role of ICTs in risk communication in Asia Pacific by Mr. Frederick John Abo, ADPC   Forth coming Activities Training on Weather Research Forecast Modeling, 12-25 Jul, Male, Maldives ADPC will conduct training on weather research forecast modeling in Male, Maldives from 12 to 25 July 2008. The training will cover data downloading, pre-processing, model simulations, and post-processing. Twelve forecasters from the Department of Meteorology of Maldives will participate in the training. The training is funded by UNDP Maldives. PROMISE Working Group Meeting (WGM), 15-17 Jul, Da Nang, Viet Nam The second Working Group Meeting (WGM-2) of the Program for Hydro-meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE) will be held at the Green Plaza Hotel, Da Nang, Viet Nam 25-27 June 2008. The annual WGM provides a forum for PROMISE project partner institutions in the region to review the progress of the program, share information and experiences on their achievements, particularly on the replication of best practices to other cities in the region.  It provides an opportunity to look back at the program, and then make plans and decisions regarding future directions and sustainability of the program. Training on flood forecast generation and application, 20-30 Jul, Bangladesh ADPC and the Institute of Water Modeling in Bangladesh will conduct a training program on flood forecasting computing system for Bangladesh forecasters. The training will be held in Dhaka from 20-30 July 2008. In order to enhance the application of long-lead probabilistic flood forecast for disaster preparedness and mitigation, ADPC and the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) will also conduct training on understanding and applying long-lead probabilistic flood forecasting for representatives of farmer groups and communities from 20 to 30 July 2008 in Gaibandha, Sirajgong, Lalmonirhat, and Faridpur, Bangladesh.  National study tour mission, 21-23 Jul, Chiang Rai, Thailand The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Thailand has been selected by the AHI-NGO-RC/RC-Asia Partnership to host a three-day national study tour with participants from different organizations working with vulnerable communities in Thailand. The study tour will be coordinated by IOM and IRC, and hosted in collaboration with ADPC on behalf of the AHI-NGO-RC/RC-Asia Partnership. The study tour will promote learning through pandemic exercises and discussions with stakeholders, including migrant representatives, involved in IOM’s pandemic preparedness activities. The collaborating partners were Asian Development Bank, CARE, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Rescue Committee, many other stakeholders, and ADPC. 17th Regional Training Course on Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction, 21 Jul – 1 Aug, Bangkok, Thailand The CBDRR course provides an opportunity for practitioners to learn essential skills and knowledge in community based disaster risk management to address implementation challenges in a systematic manner. CBDRR participants acquire tools and obtain knowledge on “how to” design and implement programs for reducing disaster risks and vulnerability and building community capacity to promote a ‘culture of safety.’ Through exercises and simulations participants practice risk assessment and risk management planning. The participants will have a chance to learn about globally acknowledged programs and projects on community based disaster risk management from leaders of these initiatives, with a particular focus on examples from South and South East Asian and Pacific regions. The CBDRR course tackles the issues in disaster risk management from a developmental perspective, discusses the issues and problems concerning sustainability, replication/ adaptation of CBDRR practice and integration of risk management plans with government and non-government development plans.   Workshop on climate change adaptation, 23 Jul, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia ADPC and the Mongolian National Agency for Meteorology, Hydrology, and Environmental Monitoring will conduct a multi-stakeholder workshop in order to develop climate change adaptation targets for the livestock sector in Mongolia. The workshop is a part of an ADPC project that aims to integrate adaptation into development processes through the development of specific adaptation targets for climate-sensitive sectors. The workshop will be conducted on 23-24 July 2008 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Capacity Building on Earthquake Contingency Planning For Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Turkey, 4- 8 August 2008 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have sound experience in responding to different emergencies and mobilizing the community members at time of need. Strengthening the capacities of these societies to increase their endeavours in preparing the communities and promoting disaster risk reduction behaviour, can save many lives and properties as well as preventing human suffering in disasters. Four countries, Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Egypt, will be addressed in the initial phase.  These countries are prone to natural and manmade disasters. Egypt is prone to hydrological, meteorological and geological disasters, which has killed more than 11,500 people in 100 Years. Large numbers of casualties by floods and earthquakes, are reported due to epidemics. Though numbers of casualties are very low in Jordan  recurring drought has affected more people. Israel and Palestine are equally affected by natural and manmade disasters. ADPC will help in enhancing the capacity of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in earthquake contingency planning for Middle East and North Africa countries. Public health in complex emergencies training program, 11-23 Aug, Bangkok The Public Health in Complex Emergencies training program (PHCE) is a two-week residential course that focuses on critical public health issues faced by NGO/PVO personnel working in complex emergencies. The goal of the course is to enhance the capacity of humanitarian assistance workers and their organizations to respond to the health needs of refugees and internally displaced persons affected by these emergencies.