Turning commitment into action – the EFDRR Open Forum is open for registration 

Take part in the 2017 EFDRR Open Forum and help to transform the commitment of governments and stakeholders that were made during the WCDRR in Sendai into national and local action.


The EFDRR Open Forum is to be held in Istanbul, Turkey (photo: Tuncay/Flickr/CC)

The 2017 European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) Open Forum is the multi-stakeholder forum for disaster risk community in Europe and brings together governments, the UN, parliamentarians, mayors, intergovernmental organisations, scientific and academic institutions, private businesses, NGOs, community based organizations and others. The event will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from March 26 to 28, 2017.

The 2017 meeting chaired by the Government of Turkey aims to reinforce political commitment generate solutions and partnership as well as address the carrying out of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The 2017 EFDRR Open Forum will take stock of progress in implementing the Sendai Framework in Europe and will identify measures to accelerate the reduction of disasters.

The EFDRR is supported by a secretariat formed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

The outcomes of the event include: A Regional Platform Chair's Summary; High-Level Communiqué of the High-Level session; Recommendations of the Europe Region for the 2017 Global Platform; and Turkish laureate of the Damir Cemenerin Award for Local Change.

The 2017 EFDRR Open Forum takes place less than two month before the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (May 22-26, 2017, in Cancun, Mexico) and therefore presents a great opportunity to gather Europe preparatory considerations.

The agenda is structured around:

• High Level Session: Creating incentives for Disaster Risk Reduction;
• Featured Event: Risk Governance – How to achieve the Sendai Target e) – risk informed national and local DRR strategies by 2020; and
• Six Technical Sessions: Economic Risk Management in DRR; Land-use planning and management practices at the local level; Critical Infrastructure for Resilient Communities; Risk Assessment and Disaster Loss Database; Bridging disaster risk reduction and climate change for a sustainable future; Migration; Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience.

All relevant information and registration for the 2017 EFDRR Open Forum can be found here.

Please note that English, French, Turkish and Russian simultaneous translation will be offered throughout the entire meeting. Furthermore, the meeting is accessible for persons with disabilities and translation to international sign language will be available.

Thumbnail Image: Pedro Szekely/Flickr/CC