Day
12 October 2007
The Department of Provincial and Local Government and the Mpumalanga
Provincial Government will join the rest of the world in observing the
International Disaster Risk Reduction Day with festivities to take place in the
Mpumalanga province on Saturday, 13 October 2007.
Globally, young people will be celebrating the commitment of communities and
government to implementing the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
(ISDR), as well as dramatising the resilience of communities throughout the
month of October.
Children are one of the groups most vulnerable to disasters. More than 10
000 schools were destroyed in Pakistan during the 2005 earthquake and many
others by this year's Hurricane Felix in the Caribbean, and by the recent
floods in Uganda.
In South Africa children are affected by disasters when crossing rivers to
get to school, and are threatened by fragile school infrastructure succumbing
to floods and storms.
Approximately 34 million children worldwide are attending school in areas
threatened by earthquake risk. Millions of other children are threatened by
volcanoes, hurricanes, drought, wildfires, storms and floods.
The learners internationally will mark the day with such activities as
music, drama, role plays and art exhibitions, aimed at highlighting the theme
of the day "Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at School".
The ISDR week is observed annually during the second week of October
worldwide, to mark the world's commitment to reducing disaster risk and to
ensuring that all communities are resilient to disasters.
Mpumalanga province will host this year's national event. The province is
vulnerable to veld and forest fires, floods, strong winds/thunderstorms,
drought, animal disease outbreaks and road and rail accidents.
The event will take place as follows:
Date: 13 October 2007
Time: 09h00 to 13h00
Venue: Agricultural Show Grounds, Delmas, Mpumalanga
Media is invited to attend and cover the meeting according to the details
above.
Issued by: Department of Provincial and Local Government
12 October 2007
Source: Department of Provincial and Local Government (http://www.dplg.gov.za)
