News
UNESCO delivers “Tsunami Ready” Training for Coastal Communities in the North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean
EU DG-ECHO project country representatives gathered online between 16-17 February 2023 to learn more on the implementation of the IOC-UNESCO (TRRP). The training approach involved empowering CoastWAVE project representatives from Malta, Spain, Türkiye, Cyprus, Greece, Morocco, and Egypt.
The IOC-UNESCO Tsunami Ready Recognition Program (TRRP) is a global initiative aimed at promoting tsunami preparedness and resilience in coastal communities consisting of to be achieved The program is designed to help communities improve their readiness by taking a set of specific actions, such as establishing a local tsunami warning system, conducting public education and outreach, and promoting evacuation planning.
The main goal of the programme is to improve coastal community preparedness for tsunamis and to minimize the loss of life, livelihoods, and property. This is achieved through a collaborative effort to meet a standard level of tsunami preparedness through the fulfilment of a set of established indicators.
During the training, participants from seven communities (El Jadida-Morocco, Alexandria-Egypt, Larnaca-Cyprus, Buyukcekmece-Istanbul, Marsaxlokk-Malta, Chipiona-Spain, Samos-Greece) learned about the requirements and benefits of the IOC-UNESCO Tsunami Ready Recognition Program. They also had the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance on how to implement the program in their own community.
"IOC-UNESCO is organizing this training with the aim of educating and empowering national project partners and relevant stakeholders to implement the Tsunami Ready Programme in their respective communities,” said Dr Derya Vennin, Assoc. Project Officer, the project coordinator of CoastWAVE project.
Participants felt the training responded to a growing regional need. "This program is an important step in ensuring that our community is prepared for the threat of tsunamis. By taking these actions, we can reduce the impact of tsunamis and help protect our residents and visitors," said Dr Didem Cambaz, the vice manager of Turkey’s Tsunami Service Provider, .
"We are excited to participate in this program and take the necessary steps to become IOC-UNESCO Tsunami Ready," said Dr Suzan El-Gharabawy, representative of . "It is important that we work together to protect our community and ensure that we are prepared for any potential coastal disasters."
