This First Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) after the advent of the Sendai Framework was hosted by the Government of India from 3rd -5th November 2016. The intended outcome of the conference was to adopt as ‘Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework’. The conference provided a unique opportunity to shape the implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework in Asia by transforming the commitment of governments and stakeholders into national and local action and setting the direction to accelerate regional implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework.

In AMCDRR 2016, UNESCO Category 2 Centre on World Natural Heritage Management and Training for Asia and the Pacific Region at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun organised a thematic session on ‘Making World Heritage Risk Resilient’ along with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) - Jamsetji Tata school of Disaster Management and Development & Research Organization for Arts and Natural Heritage (DRONAH) as collaborators. The objective was to influence policy and action for better management and protection of Natural and Cultural World Heritage Sites for Disaster Risk Reduction and to interact and provide a knowledge platform for promoting DRR solutions through World Heritage Sites to policy makers and practitioners in Asia-Pacific Region.

This thematic session emphasised the need for countries to develop concerted policies and plans on disaster risk reduction for World Heritage Sites and also to examine how world heritage conservation could foster resilience. It brought together experts from both natural and cultural heritage areas who reflected on the current situation, the potential threats and consequences and also helped to identify the way ahead in terms of appropriate frameworks, existing practices and protocols, policies and perhaps trainings that will be required to enhance sensitivity of the many actors involved in creating robust DRR strategies for world heritage sites in the Asian region.

The outputs from the session were development of a framework for integration of Natural and Cultural heritage conservation concerns into Regional disaster reduction policies; and mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction within management plans and systems for World Heritage properties in their territories.

The session was moderated by Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Scientist and Faculty UNESCO C2C, which included 3 key speakers viz. Shri Vinay Sheel Oberai, Secretary, MoHRD, Dr. V.B. Mathur, Director, UNESCO C2C & Wildlife Institute of India and Dr. Mitrasen Bhikajee, Deputy Director, UNESCO, New Delhi and 12 panellists viz. Dr. Janki Andharia, TISS, Mumbai, Dr. Shikha Jain, DRONAH, Ms. Vanicka Arora, NDMA, Prof. Dr. Sudibyakto, Advisory Board of BNPB (Indonesia), Mr. Anshuman Saikia, Regional Programme Support Coordinator, IUCN Asia, Mr. Jeremy England, President International Committee of the Red Cross-India, Dr. Navin Piplani, Principal Director, INTACH, Ms Margherita Fanchiotti, UNESCO, Dr. Shirish Ravan, UNOOSA and Dr. Ram Boojh, Programme Specialist, Natural Science, UNESCO.

The whole session can be viewed on You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRi9qoftCUs

Director, UNESCO Category 2 Centre-WII on Natural WHS and DRR

Shri V.S. Oberoi, Chair of the session addressing the audience

Keynote Speaker and Panel Discussants

Panel Discussant participating in the discussion

Audience during the session