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A team of faculty and graduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is delivering workshops during June at the Bandung Institute of Technology to emergency managers, first responders and others working on disaster risk reduction in Indonesia.

Building upon programs within the College of Social Sciences’ Department of Urban and Regional Planning and its Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Program and National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, the training is covering disaster management, risk reduction, recovery from disasters, climate adaptation and strategies for building community resilience.

Led by Professor Karl Kim and Associate Professor Dolores Foley of the urban and regional planning department, along with faculty from the Bandung Institute of Technology, the week-long course, titled Learning from Disasters: Perspectives from the U.S. and Indonesia, provides participants with insights into international best practices in the field of disaster science.

Indonesia, comprised of approximately 17,500 islands, is the largest country in Southeast Asia. It is situated at a major juncture of the earth’s tectonic plates and is home to over 100 active volcanoes.

“We value the partnership, exchange and commitment to build resilient communities through training, education and research,” said Wilmar Salim, head of Bandung Institute of Technology’s urban planning program. “Indonesia has seen numerous natural hazards in recent years. This, plus increased urbanization and greater exposure to flooding, volcanoes, earthquakes and other hazards, has greatly increased the country’s need for training that integrates hazard mitigation and urban planning. The special focus of this training, which is on preparedness for island communities, directly addresses this growing need.”

“This training is part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s continuing efforts to support underserved communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region, which are experiencing tremendous growth and increased exposure to disasters,” added Kim, executive director of NDPTC. “It is also part of a broader commitment by the university to address challenges that face our communities and the world and improve quality of life.”

In addition to this week-long course, the group will also be providing workshops in other locations in Indonesia, as part of a three-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Faculty and graduate students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and faculty from the Bandung Institute of Technology
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