On 14 March 2014, the UN Youth Envoy, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, delivers keynote remarks at the opening of the Children and Youth Forum of the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR).
Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, taking place in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan from 14 to 18 March 2015, will review resilience of nations and communities to disasters.
The Children and Youth Forum will take place in parallel at the Tohoku University Kawauchi and Katahira campuses, where the Youth Envoy will also serve keynote closing remark for the Forum, and a speaker in several working sessions and panels.
The Children and Youth Forum’s focus, “Youth Beyond Disasters and Children in a Changing Climate,” will explore the strengths, skills and abilities of young people to lead change in reducing risk and building resilience to disasters.
“In addition to exploring the resilience of youth impacted by disaster, we must also discuss frameworks for finance, governance and accountability as it relates to the role of youth in disaster response” said Alhendawi.
Through open discussions and exhibitions, the Forum will provide space for 200 children and youth to share views, ideas and experiences in reducing disaster risk and in building community resilience.
An anticipated outcome of the World Conference is the adoption of a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction—one that Alhendawi hopes will include youth as vital players.
The Children and Youth Forum is organized in part by the Major Group on Children and Youth as part of the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, organized by United Nations Office for Disaster Risk reduction (UNISDR).
Follow the Youth Envoy’s travel to Japan on social media @UNYouthEnvoy