Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - Reducing the factors that cause disasters and the material and emotional impact generated by such events: this is the goal of the national campaign launched yesterday by Caritas Chile and by various social and public organizations.
Due to its particular geography and the consequences of climate change, among other factors, Chile has always been marked by various threats, natural or man-made, such as forest fires, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis, explains the note sent to Fides by the organizers. "Through this campaig, it is extremely important that we become aware of the idea that disasters are not natural, but are the product of how we approach development decisions and how we work together to help communities make their contribution not only to reduce risks, but also to avoid creating new ones", says Cristóbal Mena, Director of ONEMI.
To move forward with this perspective, it is essential to involve communities by providing information and training that enables them to improve their capacities to face or mitigate the effects of a threat. "It has been shown that an informed, organized and prepared community is capable of projecting their own sustainable development. In Chile, the communities that know the dangers that concern them have developed mechanisms to manage them by significantly reducing the impact of the threats to which they are exposed", says Catherine Mella, Manager of the Environment, Risk Management and Emergency program of Caritas Chile.
A webinar on the campaign's social networks is scheduled for April 15, which aims to be a meeting for reflection and analysis in which the spokespersons of the various organizations that are part of it will participate. An Online Concert will be held on April 30th, a virtual day of entertainment, with live shows, round tables... aimed at education and teaching in an etertaining and didactic way concerning the importance that communities have in disaster risk management. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 26/3/2021)
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