Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simai-Sarraf and Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO Hassan Fartousi solemnly opened the UNESCO Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Engineering Resilience at Harazmi University on Tuesday.
This institute was established based on a synergistic approach that aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals, and UNESCO's approaches to expanding education, science, technology, knowledge exchange, climate consideration, and developing resilient communities, according to msrt.ir.
According to Harazmi University, the creation of this institute is a strategic and scientific necessity given the current national and regional conditions in the country. These conditions include climate change, increasing complexity of hazards, expansion of residential settlements, as well as technological and anthropogenic risks and cascading consequences of natural disasters.
The Institute develops effective methods for assessing and mitigating risks associated with both natural hazards and existing and new school infrastructure. This contributes to improving equal access for children in vulnerable communities to safe learning environments, ensuring the continuity of educational services, and reducing loss of human life. The Institute has already formed an engineering resilience community comprising over 3000 participants from more than 100 countries, which plays a key role in knowledge exchange to support disaster risk reduction initiatives.
It is emphasized that disasters are not exclusively natural but are the result of flawed decisions and inadequate management. Funding disaster risk reduction measures today will contribute to ensuring future safety and sustainability. Although phenomena such as floods, destructive storms, droughts, wildfires, wetland drying, and earthquakes are examples of natural threats worldwide, the increased intensity of these events cannot be considered natural.
Iran is recognized as a disaster-prone country that has faced almost all types of threats: from earthquakes and floods to droughts, landslides, and dust storms. Approximately 33 out of 50 known types of natural disasters have occurred in the country. The diversity of these disasters has negatively affected the country's resilience, highlighting the urgent need for disaster risk management.
Ecological sustainability requires coordination between human development and ecological capacity. When making policy decisions and utilizing resources, ecosystem limits must be respected. However, in recent decades, some development-related activities have not corresponded to the capabilities of the environment and ecosystems. Changes in land use, excessive exploitation of water and soil resources, as well as improper management of forests and natural resources have reduced the ability of ecosystems to recover and cope with disasters, making human societies more vulnerable.
Furthermore, the consequences of natural disasters disproportionately affect low-income groups, residents of marginalized areas, and rural communities. Resilience is fundamentally a matter of social justice. Involving local communities, universities, and the private sector in decision-making processes will help develop sustainable preventive strategies.