11-18 October 2014 (Armenia)
Since 2009, ADRC has been conducting DRR Policy Peer Reviews to help develop the DRR capacity of ADRC-member countries through the promotion of information sharing and through the strengthening of relationships among member countries.
The target project selected for review this year, the sixth since the Peer Review process was launched, is a project aimed at Seismic Safety Capacity Building of nursing homes and orphanages in the northern part of Armenia. After the country report was submitted, a reviewer team comprised of Dr. Kazuyoshi Ohnishi (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Japan), Dr. Linsheng Gu (Professor and Executive Director, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University - Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China) and Mr. Junji Moriwaki (ADRC Researcher) visited Armenia to conduct interviews.
The team visited the National Survey for Seismic Protection Agency, which is involved in DRR activities, to examine its DRR development efforts in Armenia. The team then conducted inspection of nursing homes and orphanages, after which it prepared a draft report of its survey results with all its findings (i.e. "The map of evacuation routes and places is posted on the wall" "The orphanage sets a rule that elder students should assist younger pupils in disaster", etc.) and recommendations (i.e. "Need to replace the furniture not to impede evacuation route" "Cooperation with local community regularly for assuming emergency situations", etc.). A workshop was also held to gather opinions and comments used in finalizing the report as well as to share good DRR practices from Japan and China with local participants. This proved to be a very good opportunity for participants to share information and ideas with one another.
This project aims to develop a mutual learning process among ADRC-member countries, rejecting conventional models of one-way learning. After its survey mission ends, the reviewer team compiles a survey report, which it sends to the countries examined as well as to other ADRC member countries, so as to enhance cross-fertilization.
ADRC would like to express its sincerest gratitude to all of those who have made such important contributions to this project.
(2014/10/27 19:40)