In news– The Defence Minister virtually inaugurated the 5th World Congress on Disaster Management recently.
About World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM)-
- The 5th WCDM is being organised in New Delhi between November 24-27, 2021 at the campus of IIT Delhi.
- Its theme is ‘Technology, Finance and Capacity for Building Resilience to Disasters in the context of COVID-19’.
- It is an initiative of Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS) having its headquarter in Hyderabad.
- It is organised jointly by the Government of National Territory (GNCT) of Delhi, IIT Delhi and Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS) Hyderabad, in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), DRDO and The ICMR New Delhi.
- It brings researchers, policy makers and practitioners from around the world on the same platform to discuss various challenging issues of disaster risk management.
- The aim is to promote interaction of science, policy and practices to enhance understanding of risks and advance actions for reducing risks and building resilience to disasters.
- The first WCDM took place in 2008 in the Hitech city of Hyderabad and Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India had inaugurated the Congress.
- The fourth WCDM was organised in Mumbai.
Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS)-
- It was established in 2005, in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, to enhance understanding and awareness among the people about the risks of various types and dimensions of disasters, and the measures to be taken for reducing the risks, and for better preparedness, response and recovery.
- It is engaged in conducting a series of workshops, seminars and conferences on a wide range of issues of disaster risk management and networks with communities, governments, NGOs, academic and research institutions, media, public and private sectors.
Source: PIB