Brian Ward
1932-2004

Brian Ward was the founding father of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and served as its first Director from 1986 to 1992. Recognizing the urgent need of international assistance for disaster-prone countries in Asia and the Pacific region to strengthen their national disaster management systems, the United Nations Disaster Relief Office (UNDRO, currently UNOCHA) conducted a feasibility study for addressing country’s needs. Brian, as he was widely known among associates, did the consulting work for the study in early 1985, visiting ten countries in the region to clarify their needs in disaster management. Findings of the study and the interest it conveyed from governments, clearly provided the rationale for establishing ADPC in 1986.

During his time as director, he provided vision and insight, motivating all he worked with, but especially encouraging young professionals and seeking to enable government authorities to engage more productively in reducing possible disaster losses. He managed, taught and traveled widely, conducting numerous disaster-related technical advisory and liaison missions throughout Asia, the Pacific and elsewhere including to Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, China, Costa Rica, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the United Nations in Geneva and New York, the United Kingdom , the United States , Vietnam and Western Samoa.

Brian dedicated almost his entire life to the cause of disaster risk reduction. He served in the Royal Engineers Corps of the British Army for over 20 years in the United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia and Thailand. Upon his military retirement, he worked for more than ten years with the then League of Red Cross Societies (currently the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ) as a delegate and a chief delegate in several countries of Africa and Asia. During this period, he also undertook missions as a technical advisor to UNDRO on building disaster management capacities in countries in Asia and the Pacific.

In recognition of his outstanding personal contribution to disaster reduction, Col. Brian Ward was awarded the United Nations Sasakawa Certificate of Distinction in 2001. All who have worked at ADPC admired Brian’s dedication, extensive experience, but perhaps most his sensitivity and efforts to develop individuals, institutions and

To convey ADPC’s honor and respect, the Center’s conference room has been designated as the Brian Ward Conference Room, so his memory continues to be shared with all people ADPC meets and works with to create safer Asian communities.