AUDMP News... Disaster Safety Day in Sri Lanka (6 April 2001)   The Sri Lanka Urban Multi-Hazard Disaster Mitigation Program (SLUMDMP), a country project under the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP), in collaboration with the Sabaragamuwa Province Chief MinisterÕs Office and Ratnapura Municipal Council organized the first Disaster Safety Day in Ratnapura on 6 April 2001 to promote public awareness, particularly among school children, parents and teachers, on the significance of disaster mitigation and preparedness. Ms. Suthira Suwanarpa, AUDMP Project Manager and Ms. Christine Apikul, AUDMP Program Coordinator represented ADPC on this important day. Ratnapura Disaster Safety Day was held in memory of those who lost their lives during the landslide at Helauda, Ratnapura in 1994. Helauda, once a valley has now been filled in by boulders from the landslide. Through joint effort from the Center for Housing, Planning and Building (CHPB) and the National Building Research Organization (NBRO), partners of SLUMDMP, a monument at Helauda was constructed using boulders and rocks from the landslide. Vehicle that led the March on Disaster Safety Day Monument to commemorate the Helauda landslide The event began at 9am with blessings from the Buddhist priests and the opening of the monument by the Hon. Chief Minister of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council, Mr. Asoka Jayawardana and the Hon. Mayor of the Ratnapura Municipal Council, Mr. Chandradasa Jayasinghe. Chief Secretary of the Province, Secretary to the Chief Ministry, Provincial Director of Education, the Urban Council Chairman of Nawalapitiya, the District Secretary, members of the Municipal Ward, officials from CHPB and NBRO and communities affected by the landslide are among those who participated in the opening ceremony. School children sang the Disaster Safety Day theme song. After, about 400 school children from Ratnapura, officials of Ratnapura Chief Minister's Office, the Municipal Council, the Provincial Education Office, SLUMDMP, other government and private agencies and the general public participated in a march to the Dharmapala Maha Vidyalaya, the school where a program of talks, performances and video viewing was arranged to promote disaster mitigation and preparedness. Prizes were awarded to winners of the art, poster and essay competitions on natural disasters in Sri Lanka in the school's meeting hall. An exhibition of the art and posters submitted by school children throughout Ratnapura, Nawalapitiya and Kandy Municipal Councils were on display at the Ratnapura Municipal Council Hall from 6 to 8 April. A formal opening of the exhibition by the Provincial Chief Minister took place in the afternoon. participating students the winner of the poster competition This event proved a success as the message to prepare for disasters and protect the environment was heard throughout Ratnapura. Two brochures on flood and landslide mitigation were published by SLUMDMP for the event and will be widely disseminated throughout the country. The replication of similar public awareness campaigns to other cities were talked about. The Urban Council Chairman of Nawalapitiya, one of SLUMDMP's replicating cities, has expressed interest in organizing a similar event next year. Discussions were also initiated about making Disaster Safety Day a national event. For more information on DSD, please click here for the CHPB website.