National Media Workshop concludes focusing on local level DRR actions

More than five dozens Nepali media professionals from around the country gathered in a workshop have stressed to focus on local level DRR actions so as to lessen the potential disaster losses. Participating journalists and members of media management teams shared their local, regional and national experiences and perspectives on disaster situations. Most of the cases referred were on recent fire disasters in different districts and floods and landslides that hit many parts of the country during last monsoon.

National Society for Earthquake Technology -Nepal (NSET) had organized National Media Workshop on "Current efforts and key issues of Disaster Risk Management" during March 26-29, 2015 in Lalitpur under the USAID/OFDA supported program “Promoting Public Private Partnership for Earthquake Risk Management (3PERM)”. Participants were from the 28 Radio Stations, 3 Television program production media houses along with other media houses who have been conducting regular media activities on disaster risk reduction and preparedness.

To help establish conducive ground setting for more intensive media discourse, Dr. Amod Mani Dixit presented on "Earthquake Hazards Risk in Nepal and Role of Media" highlighting the achievements gathered so far through World Conferences in Yokohama in 1994 to Kobe conference in 2005 that laid global strategy document with the name HFA to third edition of WCDRR recently held in Sendai, Japan. Mr. Dixit briefed on DRR plans and programs developed and implemented, concepts and methodologies piloted, tested and replicated and also lessons learned in Nepal at local as well as national level.

Addressing the inaugural Session, Mr. Gopal Jha, President of Broadcasters Associations of Nepal (BAN) highlighted the role of media in Disaster Risk Management by disseminating awareness knowledge to the local mass. On the same occasion, Mr. Gopal Guragain, Chairperson of Ujyaalo 90 Network stressed on the strong role media has to play before, during and after disasters. Mr. Guragain also shared his experience of reporting the event of 1988 earthquake in east Nepal.

Addressing the session, Mr. Bal Krishna Parajuli from Disaster Risk Reduction Office, USAID/Nepal highlighted the very need to pay more organized efforts that media should play to raise public awareness on risk reduction and help take needful action at the community level. Mr. Parajuli also briefed on what, where and how USAID/OFDA has been working for building community resilience in Nepal and around the globe. From the chair, NSET President Mr. Shiva Bahadur Pradhanang appreciated the enthusiasm and commitment exhibited by media professionals in this very process. Mr. Surya Bhakta Sangachhe from NSET highlighted on private sector involvement to build first themselves resilient and then also contribute to community resilience.

Workshop next entered into preset thematic discourses and group works. NSET professionals facilitated thematic session with brief presentation on what has been done, how it should be done and what and how to pave way forward. Participants have shared lots many insights, reflections, and ideas to move ahead. Workshop proceedings will be shared once finalised.

To conclude with, participants took part in Vulnerability Tour in Patan city core area that helped understand the prevalent risks and inherent capacity of communities. Also they visited retrofitted building blocks of Tri Padma School in Patan and observed preparedness plan and activities of school. This all was just to serve the indoor learnings, sharings and ideas be better reinforced. A media professional trained/educated can help many thousands people get trained/educated, and this episode of learning process has been found much encouraging to tapping newer opportunities and possibilities to reach broader communities with more compelling messages of safety from potential threats.

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