Indonesia: UN-modeled simulation helps youths understand disaster
National Agency of Disaster Management (BNPB) deputy for emergency response Dody Ruswandi called for efforts to reduce dangers to involve all of the Indonesian people at a Model United Nations simulation (MUN) event on disaster management, held by the US Embassy and the Indonesian Student Association for International Studies (ISAFIS) as one of their programs aiming to help build a culture of safety and resilience. “It is not easy for the government to reduce disaster risks that potentially affect 90 million people in the country,” he told The Jakarta Post.
After a briefing about the Hyogo Framework for Action, students acted as if they were representatives of a country seeking to manage natural disasters through multilateral diplomacy and asked questions about disaster management and policy in Indonesia. “Why does Indonesia not have disaster preparations or simulations for floods or earthquakes like in Japan?” Paulina, from University of Pelita Harapan’s School of International Relations, asked.