Building resilience: A pioneering international disaster resilience symposium with a service learning component

Time

10:30 - 12:30 (GMT+9)

About

On February 2nd, 2024, the inaugural International Disaster Resilience Symposium, a pioneering conference with a service learning component, will be held at Nagoya University in Japan. The symposium follows just one month after the significant Noto Earthquake in Ishikawa (January 1st, 2024) and is also approximately one month away from the anniversary of The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (March 11th, 2011).  In the face of potentially significant natural disasters, including the imminent Nankai Trough earthquake in the Tokai region where Nagoya University is located, ensuring the safety and preparedness of all residents, including international students, is paramount. Residing in Japan, which has to constantly innovate to cope with frequent and potentially catastrophic earthquake disasters, serves as the motivator and provides heightened relevance for this symposium.

International students face unique challenges in times of disaster due to factors such as language, cultural differences, and a lack of local social support networks, hindering effective disaster preparedness measures. This international symposium is part of a project supported by Nagoya University, aiming to address these challenges by providing an opportunity for international students to learn about the current state of the art technology and issues related to disaster management in Japan. The learners, who are students involved in the project, then take the knowledge gained and share it with other students and the local community through this international symposium. The symposium will feature 26 students from different countries (divided into 13 teams) who have completed a 5 month course on Disaster Management at Nagoya University.

This symposium aims to be a platform for reflecting on the critical lessons learned from past disasters, provide knowledge and instil a proactive mindset that empowers international students to take effective measures for their own personal safety and, drawing from their unique perspectives and abilities, contribute to the disaster resilience of the society as a whole.