For information only - not an official document

UNIS/MA/79
22 October 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY

The media is invited to attend the Austrian launch of the

World Disasters Report 2014: Focus on Culture and Risk

On
Tuesday, 28 October 2014, at 2 p.m.
At the Vienna International Centre (VIC), C-Building, Conference Room 3, 7 th Floor

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Norwegian Embassy and the Austrian Red Cross cordially invite you to the presentation of the 2014 edition of the World Disasters Report - Focus on Culture and Risk.

Speakers include:

Terry Cannon, Editor of the World Disasters Report 2014 and Research Fellow, Institute for Development Studies (IDS)

Matthias Schmale, Under Secretary General of National Society and Knowledge Development, IFRC

Aldo Lale-Demoz, Director, Division of Operations and Deputy Executive Director, UNODC

The event will be moderated by Ambassador Bente Angell-Hansen, Norwegian Embassy

Media representatives who wish to attend the event, and who are not accredited to the VIC, should contact press@unvienna.org no later than Thursday, 24 October 12:00 noon.

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This year's presentation of the World Disasters Report highlights the different ways in which culture affects disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation; and how disasters and risk influence culture. It examines why people choose to live in hazard-prone locations, and how culture and beliefs enable them to live with the risks they face. The report looks at the organizational culture of agencies working in the fields of disaster risk reduction and adaptation, and challenges the widespread faith in community-based activities. It also considers culture in relation to housing and reconstruction, and healthcare and medicine. Finally, the report indicates starting points for organizations to better align their actions with the way people think and act. The launch is being co-organized with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

For more information on the World Disasters Report, please visit www.ifrc.org/wdr. From 17 October, please visit www.ifrc.org/wdr2014.

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For further information please contact:

Thomas Marecek
Media Service, Austrian Red Cross
Telephone: +43 1 589 00-151
Mobile: +43 664 823 48 02
Email: thomas.marecek[at]roteskreuz.at
Website: http://www.roteskreuz.at

or

Anna Giudice Saget
Drug Control and Crime Prevention Officer, UNODC
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-4530
Email: Anna.Giudice.Saget[at]unodc.org

or

Reka Furtos
Public Information Officer, UNIS Vienna
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-83019
Mobile: (+43-699) 1458-3019
Email: reka.furtos[at]unvienna.org