In November 2017, the inaugural World Bosai Forum gathered experts from around the world to further the Sendai Framework. Requested by the UN, the Framework is part of Japan’s commitment to disaster risk reduction (DRR).

The World Bosai Forum was held in Sendai, in the Tohoku region—a place with symbolic meaning. The Tohoku region was the worst-hit area of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The Forum in part shares the Japanese experience of reconstruction.
At the Forum, ARPU held an afternoon session on Monday, November 27, “strengthening contributions to the international community through multi-disciplinary disaster science research.” The session was led by APRU’s Multi-Hazards program, which aims to confront the complexity of DRR, an issue which crosses many borders, by creating a network across levels, regions, and sectors.

APRU’s Multi-Hazards Hub joined partners the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Elsevier to release a report, A Global Outlook on Disaster Science at the Bosai Forum.

The event showcased the potential impact of companies and governments engaging with research universities on regional issues. For APRU, the evolution of disaster science from research to now encompass public policy is just one area for research universities to contribute.

Click here for more on APRU and the Multi-Hazards Hub’s activities from the Forum.
Click here to find the highlights of the Forum by IRIDeS, Tohoku University.
Click here for the program and abstract of the APRU-Tohoku session.
Click here for photos from the event.