As part of the celebration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR), the Fair was held in Sarajevo under the slogan “Knowledge Protects Us!” showcasing over 20 domestic and international organisations and institutions responsible for, and engaged in, disaster risk management.
The Fair of Knowledge, organised jointly by the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the BiH Ministry of Security, with support provided by the Government of Switzerland, publicised the DRR information and publications and demonstrated response activities in case of natural and other disasters.
UN Resident Coordinator for BiH Sezin Sinanoglu emphasized the importance of capacity building for reducing risks of natural and other disasters, recalling the floods in 2014 which caused the loss of human lives, affected seriously the livelihoods of nearly one third of the population and caused more than EUR 2 billion worth of material damage.
“Action must be taken before disasters happen in order to reduce possible risks“, said Ms. Sinanoglu, adding that, according to estimates, around 260,000 citizens of BiH are exposed to a serious threat of natural disasters. “This is precisely why it is extremely important to understand risks and to learn better how to respond best to all potential threats, to protect yourself, your family, your local community as well as the broader community.“
“There are NO natural disasters – only natural hazards. While hazards cannot always be avoided, disasters can and must be prevented! Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a priority of the Swiss Government, for our own administrations in Switzerland as well as for our cooperation with other countries such as BiH. Within the Swiss Cooperation Programme with BiH 2017-2020 we will continue to work with our partners on preparedness of better responses at all administrative levels towards natural and human-made hazards. By reducing the risks to an acceptable level we can save many lives, protect even more livelihoods and reduce economic losses substantially”, said Swiss Ambassador to BiH, Andrea Rauber Saxer at the International Disaster Reduction Day (IDDR) on October 13th in Sarajevo, organized in by the Ministry of Security of BiH and UN in BiH with support provided by the Government of Switzerland.
Mijo Kresic, Deputy Minister of Security of BiH, said that coordination and joint actions were necessary for an efficient response to disasters, especially knowing that disasters know of no boundaries.
During the Fair of Knowledge, DRR leaflets, brochures and analyses were distributed, and state-of-the-art equipment used in a response to emergency situations was demonstrated. Members of the Civil Protection Administration of the Federation and the Red Cross of BiH, in cooperation with the entity organisations of the Red Cross, held relief drills to demonstrate their skills to numerous visitors of the Fair.
The International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) began in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote prevention of disasters and mitigation of possible consequences. The Fair of Knowledge is one in a series of activities in that field which the United Nations in BiH are implementing in cooperation with the BiH Ministry of Security.
