This month from UNDRR: Key developments from UNDRR'S global work on disaster risk reduction, including the first-ever International Day for Earthquake Remembrance, steps toward institutionalising resilient recoveries in Brazil, and country-level action on fire risk and urban resilience.
29 April - A new international day for earthquake remembrance and resilience
On 29 April, the global community observed the first International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes , a day dedicated to honouring past earthquake victims and building disaster resilience against future earthquakes.
In his global message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to “build safer towns and cities, however hard the ground shakes.”This message was echoed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of UNDRR, Kamal Kishore , who noted that “Earthquakes are inevitable, but the disasters they cause are not.”
Commemorative events were held around the world, most notably:
· Tashkent: Uzbekistan hosted an observance, attended by SRSG Kishore, that included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument of Courage, built in memory of the victims of the devastating 1966 earthquake.
· New York: At UN headquarters, UNDRR organised a panel discussion and a drill in coordination with UN security and local authorities.
· Panama City: UNDRR’s Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean organised a regional webinar with earthquake experts on how to build resilience.
· Bangkok: UNDRR organised a global webinar on “ Leveraging Assistive Technology ” to empower persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction.
With UNDRR support, Lao PDR held its first National Dialogue on Earthquake Preparedness, and Vanuatu organized an event to mark the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes. Throughout the year, partners are invited to participate in the “Drop. Cover. Hold On” campaign, by conducting earthquake drills and letting us know about them. To aid, please feel free to make use of the campaign toolkit .
Kazakhstan leads the way in advancing local to regional resilience
From 22-24 April, Kazakhstan hosted the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 , which included several sessions on addressing transboundary climate and disaster risks, such as drought, glacial floods, and extreme heat. SRSG Kamal Kishore led a UNDRR delegation to the Summit and met with His Excellency, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev , President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Highlights from Summit include:
· Announcement of Astana as the first Central Asian 'Resilience Hub' under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative.
· Launch of the joint UNDRR-UNICEF report : Flames of Change II Special Report: Children and Youth at the Forefront of Tackling Urban Heat.
Institutionalising readiness for resilient recoveries in Brazil
Following the catastrophic floods of 2023 and 2024, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has taken a major step towards institutionalising readiness for resilient recoveries. This month, the Steering Committee of the Plano Rio Grande Fund approved financing for the new Regional Centre of Excellence for Resilient Recovery (CERR) . The centre will benefit from UNDRR’s support in the development of methodologies and tools, strengthening of institutional arrangements and enhancing capacities at regional, state and municipal levels. “What Rio Grande do Sul is developing goes beyond a response to a crisis: it signals that the region can move from recovering ‘after impact’ to being prepared to recover better,” said Nahuel Arenas, Chief of UNDRR’s Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean.
Arab States strengthen fire risk preparedness
Fire risks are becoming increasingly complex as urbanization and industrial growth accelerate. To meet this challenge, UNDRR’s Regional Office for the Arab States, in collaboration with the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and Tunisia’s civil protection authorities, held a high-level regional fire risk preparedness workshop in Tunis from 6 to 8 April. A key component of the workshop was a fire simulation exercise at a petroleum facility to test coordination and decision-making in real time. “The simulation in Radès demonstrates that effective disaster risk reduction requires not only planning, but the ability to test systems, coordination, and readiness in real conditions,” said Raidan Alsaqqaf, Deputy Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office.
Strengthening disaster risk communication in the Indian Ocean
UNDRR organised a Regional Risk Communication Workshop in Mauritius, bringing together institutional communicators, disaster risk experts, and media professionals from across the Indian Ocean region. Co-funded by the European Union in partnership with the Indian Ocean Commission, the workshop was organised under the Resilience Building and Disaster Response Management in the Indian Ocean (RDRM-IO) programme 2020-2026. By working together throughout the training, participants explored how stronger collaboration between institutions and the media can improve the clarity, credibility, and impact of risk communication before and during disasters.
Training trainers to strengthen urban resilience
To strengthen the foundations of urban resilience, UNDRR’s Global Education and Training Institute conducted a Training of Trainers workshop from 7 to 10 April 2026 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. Approximately 30 participants from the Philippines, India, Nepal, Republic of Korea, and Brazil, along with private sector representatives from ARISE Philippines and KPMG India, learned how to use the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities as a practical framework to support learning, dialogue, and decision-making at the city level. Aligned with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, the training is part of UNDRR’s efforts to empower locally-led DRR.
Teacher's guide for ‘Stop Disasters’ game
Want an engaging way of introducing DRR concepts to students? To expand the use of the popular ‘Stop Disasters’ game from homes into the classrooms, UNDRR has developed a Teacher’s Guide to support educators in designing their lessons. The guide provides a ready-made sequence of activities that are flexible to accommodate different ages and subject matters.
