The CDR has had strong links with The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) since 2006. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UN-HABITAT is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UNHABITAT was a key partner\u00a0of the 2008 International Conference on Building Resilience and its Programme Manager for Sri Lanka, Condrad de Tissera, delivered the conference key note entitled “\u2018International Community Perspectives in Disaster Mitigation in Developing\u00a0Countries”. The focus was to review relevant UN interventions related to disaster mitigation in\u00a0developing countries, highlighting successful initiatives in Sri Lanka on capacity building and\u00a0technology transfer with respect to Landslides Disaster Mitigation in the Country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The BEAR 2008 Conference held in Sri Lanka in February 2008 provided an excellent opportunity for practitioners in the construction industry to investigate, debate and enhance knowledge on key issues on built environment education to support disaster preparedness and reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UN-Habitat appreciates very much to have been invited to participate in this important conference where academics, practitioners, professionals and policy makers from many countries, concerned with the future of built environment education and research including that of disaster risk reduction, mitigation and reconstruction gathered to exchange views and experiences on the subject. The emphasis placed upon education and research towards preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters was significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The major theme to promote built environment related education and research towards a more holistic view of the life cycle of infrastructure projects was very appropriate. The focus in the traditional process of managing feasibility analysis, planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and divestiture in infrastructure projects was expanded to include disaster risk reduction and therefore was of particular interest to the developing countries prone to natural disasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The conference held in Sri Lanka, was timely and was of particular significance. It gave an opportunity for the participants to review the situation three years after the tsunami of December 2004 in Sri Lanka, which experienced the worst impact of this natural disaster after Aceh Indonesia. Participants from Sri Lanka representing practitioners, academics and researchers, local government representatives, other government officials no doubt benefited greatly from the event. Outputs of this event will influence towards development of recourses to enhance the professional practice in this very important area of work including shaping up of policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I would like to congratulate the conference chairs for a job well done.” commented Mr Tissera on this joint collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n