Department of History
- Department of History
- About us
- News
- 2017
- Successful workshop delivery at international disaster conference
International disaster conference workshop
Posted on 2 June 2017
The workshop explored the value of using history and culture as a lens to inform development policies around risk and resilience and how this approach can strengthen advocacy and policies in support of the Sendai framework for global disaster risk reduction.
Dr Altink delivered the workshop in collaboration with the team of the Global Challenges Research Fund supported project ‘Building resilience along the Colombian Caribbean coast in the face of sudden and slow-onset environmental hazards’. It was attended by 40 people from different parts of Mesoamerica and the Caribbean who represented a wide range of non-governmental organisations and international groups.
Several presentations were also given in which practitioners in the field of disaster risk reduction reflected on the role that history can play in their work. Examples of people who spoke included the Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and the coordinator of the United Nations’ Development Programme disaster risk reduction projects in Southeast Mexico.
Break out groups also discussed ways in which policymakers in the area of disaster risk reduction can be encouraged to engage with history, and the incorporation of traditional historical knowledge in disaster risk reduction work.
Dr Altink and the team will now produce a briefing document around the potential role of history and culture in informing effective disaster risk management and how to facilitate discussions between the participants around several potential cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral research projects.