Over 300 international and Thai academics, practitioners, professionals and policymakers are all set to participate in the 7th International Conference on Building Resilience to be held in Bangkok from 27-29 November.

The conference focuses on using scientific knowledge to inform policy and practice in disaster risk reduction. Experts from all geographical regions will share state of the art research and discuss how the science community could best support the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which defines the global course of action over the next 15 years.

During the consultations and negotiations that led to the finalization of the SFDRR, strong calls were made to develop practical and evidence-based guidance to support implementation, ensure engagement and ownership of action by all stakeholders, and strengthen accountability in disaster risk reduction.

For the evidence-based decision and policy making, 200 scientific, policy and practice-orientated papers would be presented at the Conference. Discussion on the integration of SFDRR with the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Sustainable Development Goals) will also take place.

This 2017 event is the seventh in a series of conferences aimed at increasing societal resilience to disasters. Previous conferences were held in Sri Lanka, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. This year’s event is being jointly organised by Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Thailand; Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, UK; Naresuan University, Thailand; and Chiang Mai University, Thailand on the theme of 'Using scientific knowledge to inform policy and practice in disaster risk reduction'.

During the conference, a range of specialist events and workshops will be organized focusing on key topics, such as climate models, weather risks, critical infrastructure, the resilience of businesses and economies, and enhancing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation synergies. In addition, dedicated meetings of the Sendai Framework Words into Action, Implementation Guides for Construction Policy and Practice, and Disaster Risk Reduction Governance at the Local Level will also take place

The conference includes five keynote addresses by leading academics and practitioners who will discuss their research findings on critical issues related to disaster risk reduction, resilience building, early warning and data for development.

Professor Sujeeva Setunge, Deputy Dean, research and innovation, School of Engineering, RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia will present a potential model that could be adopted by the authorities for strengthening and retrofitting the critical aging infrastructure. Professor Mo Hamza, Professor of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Lund University, Sweden, will talk about complexities involved in understanding environmentally induced migration. Issues related to public health in emergencies would be discussed by Professor Virginia Murray, Public Health Consultant in Global Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Health, England.

Participants will learn about tsunami early warning system in Indonesia from Dr. Harkunti P. Rahayu, Chair of IABI, Association of Disaster Expert Indonesia & School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development, Institute of Technology Bandung, and Research Center for Disaster Mitigation, Indonesia. Dr. Peeranan Towashiraporn, Director, ADPC, will discuss the role of geographic information in building resilience and data for development.

Key note speakers: left to right - Professor Virginia Murray, Public Health Consultant in Global Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Health, England,
Dr. Harkunti P. Rahayu, Chair of IABI, Association of Disaster Expert Indonesia & School of Architecture, Indonesia, and Dr. Peeranan Towashiraporn, Director, ADPC.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed between the Defence Technology Institute (DTI) and strategic partners on the project Simulation of Military Assistance during Emergency and Communication Blackout.

The conference also recognises the doctoral student community as the lifeblood of the future research. The doctoral students’ forum will celebrate its contribution to the research community and provide a platform for doctoral students to discuss their research work and receive constructive feedback.