Srinagar Oct 13: The Department of Geography and Disaster Management (DGDM), University of Kashmir (KU), celebrated the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Main Campus under the theme ‘Resilience Starts at Home.’
The event aimed to highlight the importance of disaster preparedness, public awareness and community participation in reducing disaster risks. It also stressed on the need to build a culture of preparedness at the household and community levels that will allow people to respond effectively to emergencies and minimise the loss of life and property.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Vice-Chancellor KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan said that disaster preparedness begins with awareness and responsible action at the individual and family levels. She emphasised the importance of educating people about potential risks and encouraging communities to adopt simple but effective measures to improve their safety.
“Building disaster-resilient communities begins at home, with awareness, preparedness and a shared sense of responsibility,” she said.
Registrar KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, said that educational institutions have an important role in promoting awareness about disaster risks and preparing young people to respond to emergencies.
Registrar IUST, Prof. Shamim Ahmad, in his remarks, said that greater awareness, scientific understanding and coordination among institutions are essential for strengthening disaster preparedness.
Dean, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU, Prof. Ghulam Jeelani, spoke about the need to understand environmental and geographical factors that contribute to disaster risks. He noted that informed planning, local awareness and community participation are important for reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening resilience.
Earlier, Head, DGDM KU, Prof. G.M. Rather, welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of observing the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. Dr. Mohammad Shafi Bhat, faculty member at DGDM KU, provided an outline of the event and highlighted its key objectives.
The programme was attended by faculty members, research scholars and students of the campus.
The event proceedings were conducted by Prof. Javeed Ahmad, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Farooq Ahmad Dar, faculty members at DGDM KU.

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