Sudan: International Day for Disaster Reduction 2015 - Best practices

On the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Reduction 2015, the Disaster Management & Refugees Studies Institute (DIMARSI) in Sudan is organizing an event at the University of Africa (IUA) in Khartoum under the theme "Knowledge for Life".

The event, which will include the participation of concerned government bodies, civil society, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other sister organizations, will include the screening of the documentary "The role of grassroots communities in disaster risk reduction in Tuti Island - Sudan".

The 18,000-strong community of Tuti, a River Nile island near the Sudanese capital Khartoum, has long been highly vulnerable to floods but has learned over the past 500 years how to reduce and manage their risk through traditional knowledge.

After centuries of experience, Tuti’s inhabitants have accumulated their own indigenous knowledge and skills, developing early warning systems based on different tones of drums, horns and whistles that alerted the community from an upcoming flooding.

The event will also review the achievements of the Institute of Disaster Management and Refugee Studies of Sudan in the field of disaster risk reduction and will discuss future contributions.