The second session of the Global Platform is scheduled to take place in Geneva, in Switzerland later this month between 16-19 June. This will see the world’s risk reduction community gathering, setting the disaster risk reduction agenda for the coming two years and beyond, with this year’s meeting having the added significance of falling in the lead up to the Copenhagen COP-15 this December.

The event will bring to government decision makers, policy advisers, UN agencies, international organisations, scientific and technical experts and representatives from academic institutions amongst others. A parliamentary roundtable including the IPU Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament, Philippino Senator Loren Legarda and MPs from Kenya, Chad, Namibia, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Turkey, Austria and Finland have already confirmed their participation will take place on 18 June.

Partners will have the opportunity discuss the advances made in disaster risk reduction since the First Session in June 2007 and to increase commitment and measurable actions to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will introduce the conference with a key-note address, whilst UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs will chair the Second Session whilst also providing an opening statement.

For a full programme of the upcoming event, please click here.