Haiti: A wake up call for urban disasters?

The distinguished panel will discuss the importance of building resilient urban communities from several perspectives:

- What should the international community learn from the earthquake in Haiti in order to reduce the exposure of vulnerable communities to such high levels of risk in future emergencies?
- How can we address issues such as land tenure, shelter construction, housing standards, and climate change to reduce the risk for people living in megacities and urban areas? 
- How can communities, governments, NGOs and stakeholders better plan for the implications of multiple disasters in the same cities?

The event will start with the launch of the World Disaster Report for 2010, which focuses on urban disasters. After the launch, the panel will share their different perspectives on these and other emerging issues in urban risk and resiliency. Panelists will include representatives of the World Bank and USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. Presenters: 

- Abhas Jha, Program Leader, Disaster Risk Management, East Asia and the Pacific, The World Bank 
- Chuck Setchell, Shelter, Settlements, and Hazard Mitigation Advisor, USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance 
- Robert Buckley, Advisor, Urbanization, The Rockefeller Foundation 
- Franck Daphnis, CEO of Development Innovations Group
- Moderator: Julie Sell, Journalist and Spokesperson for the American Red Cross in Haiti, and journalist with over 20 years experience in international reporting