On Tuesday 13 October 2015, Zimbabwe joined the rest of the World in commemorating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDR). Various national stakeholders from breadth and length of Zimbabwe converged at the Makombe Complex in Harare to commemorate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was held under the theme: Indigeneous Knowledge Systems, “Knowledge for life”. The focus of this year’s International Day for Disaster Reduction was on the traditional, indigenous and local knowledge which complement modern science and add to an individual’s and societies’ resilience.

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction commemorations were organized by the Department of Civil Protection of Zimbabwe (DCP) in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing with the support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Vision and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). The dignitaries in attendance included the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing - Honorable Christopher Chingosho, the UN Resident Coordinator - Bishow Parajuli, representatives from various UN Agencies, International Organization for Migration, academia and private sector.

The IOM Chief of Mission, Mr. Martin Ocaga, in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Ben Mbaura, IOM’s Emergency and Reintegration Unit Coordinator highlighted that IOM in collaboration with DCP and other partners promoted Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) initiatives in Zimbabwe to build awareness for indigenous knowledge as an effective tool for reducing risk from natural hazard-related disasters. Mr. Ocaga challenged  all the  stakeholders including the academic community, researchers and partners to promote documentation and dissemination of available indigenous knowledge in relationship to local skills and materials, its success in contributing to communities surviving or coping with disasters over time, and its applicability to other societies facing similar situations.

See more pictures for this event here