Defence Secretary graces National event of IDDRR
October 13, 2021National event to commemorate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) themed ‘COVID-19 and systemic risks’ was held in the form of a hybrid event at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) today (Oct 13).
The event organized by Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was graced by Secretary of the Defence Ministry and National Security and Disaster Management State Ministry Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) as the Chief Guest.
The overall goal of the commemoration is to provide an advocacy platform to highlight best practice examples of international cooperation which has a positive impact on the lives of people who live in disaster prone parts of the world.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 13 October 2021 as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction and during the session, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered a special video message.
An eminent panel of local and overseas professionals and academics shared their views and experiences through the virtual platform.
Further, symbolizing the commemoration of the IDDRR in Sri Lanka, the DMC organized a few more events including a formal book launch.
During the event, DMC Director General Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe presented a commemoration plaque to Defence Secretary to mark the significance of the day.
DMC officials were also present at the occasion while adhering to the stipulated health guidelines issued to contain COVID-19.
