Italian Civil Defense: presentation of a platform to reduce disaster risk ( Pertahanan Awam Itali )

Rome, Italy - Meeting on Saturday, July 2 at Lingotto Fiere of Turin


(WAPA) - "Reduce by 2015 the number of victims and the amount of economic, social and environmental damages related to disasters is the goal of Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), the ten-year plan adopted by 168 Countries, including Italy, that attended the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January 2005 in Kobe, Japan, sponsored by United Nations within the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (ISDR).

On the occasion of 'Protec 2011' - Exhibition of technologies and services for environmental civil defense, which opened yesterday at the Lingotto Fiere in Turin, the Civil Defense Department is organizing Saturday, July 2, at the red room of the Pavilion 1, a meeting on 'Disaster risk reduction: good practices and lessons to learn'.

The head of the Department, Franco Gabrielli, opened the work at 9:30 and Paola Albrito, European coordinator for UNISDR (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction), Pande Lazarevsky, co-president of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mette-Olsonn Lindahl, head of the Natural Hazards & Critical Infrastructure Swedish Civil Contengencies Agency and for the Department of Civil Defense Mauro Dolce, director of the seismic and volcanic risk Office, Luigi D'Angelo, in charge of international relations, Paola Pagliara, head of the functional Center hydro and weather Central.

The conference is an opportunity to present the public the Italian platform for disaster risk reduction, born within the United Nations' international strategy to mitigate the risks. Established by a decree of the President of the Council of Ministers No 66 of 2008 that gave the coordination to the Department of Civil Defense, the platform is based on the cooperation of all public and private members of the National Service of Civil Defense, and of the leading scientific and social realities actives at all levels for risk reduction.

The public meeting is the first opportunity for comparison between all the actors engaged in this sector at national level and, with the help of experts from the United Nations and representatives of other European Countries, will assess the effectiveness of Italian choice.During the day, it will also be the ceremony to support the campaign "Making Cities Resilient. My City Is Getting Ready" promoted by UNISDR of Milan, Turin, Varazze and 15 municipalities of Tuscany, a reality that will reach Rome, Florence, Ancona and Venice that are already members of the "Resilient City".On the base of the indications of the "International Decade for risk reduction (1990-2000)", the United Nations, with the Economic and Social Council Resolution No 1999/63, launched the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, requiring to signatory States a greater commitment to combat natural disasters. Commitment has become even more important with the objectives of the Hyogo Framework for Action and its Action Plan. To date more than 70 Countries have established their own national platform.

The Department of Civil Defense has, among its objectives, the public awareness on the issues of prevention and mitigation of risks. For this, in the exhibition it has been set up a seismic simulator, reproducing a home ambient, it's possible to see the effects that the earthquake causes on furniture and everyday objects according to building construction type. Another area of ​​exposure is dedicated to the network of functional centers and to the landslides and floods risk warning system". (Avionews) (0234)