A national multi-partner workshop on the development of local information resource centers for disaster risk reduction at township level took place in Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar on 27 August 2013.

The hosts of the event, Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) of the Ministry of Information; and Relief and Resettlement Department (RRD) of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar have had a leading role in the project. In their inspiring opening remarks, the Director General U Ye Tint from IPRD and Deputy Director General U Aung Khine from RRD emphasized the importance of strengthening information and disaster risk management in all levels. After the opening remarks, the good practice “Sustaining the Disaster Preparedness Message” was officially launched.

Attended by government departments, development partners, and national media outlets, the purpose of the workshop was to define a sustainable strategy for greater information linkages and dialogue between community-based disaster risk reduction, climate risk management interventions, and township-level disaster risk management. As a key workshop session, government staff from Kungyangone township in Yangon region showcased their pioneering work on establishing and maintaining an information resource center for disaster risk reduction.

The workshop then held consultations on a technical guidance note to support the information resource center’s replication in other townships of Myanmar. Two development partners already expressed their desire to use the model to establish information resource centers in their project townships.

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) continues to provide technical support for this innovative activity, with financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.