Nepal marked 26th Earthquake Safety Day (ESD) on January 16, 2024 with weeks-long events organized nationwide. Addressing ESD National Meeting in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” has announced to bring appropriate reconstruction workplan to implement soon in the areas affected by recent earthquakes in Jajarkot, Doti, Bajhang.

PM Dahal addresses 26th Earthquake Safety Day National Meeting in Kathmandu, Jan 16, 2024, Photo: NSET

The 26th ESD National Meeting was addressed by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Minister for Urban Development, UN Resident Coordinator, Mayor from Chandragiri Municipality, Executive Chief of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Director General of Department of Urban Development and Building Construction and NSET’s Executive Director. NSET serves as the Member Secretary for Earthquake Safety Day National Organizing Committee.

Nepal marks Earthquake Safety Day every year, started in 1999, commemorating 1934 Great Nepal-Bihar Earthquake, Nepal; and the main purpose has been to re-affirm national commitment to enhance Earthquake Resilience of Nepali communities and also share and review past experiences & strategize further. This year’s focus is on promoting use of local resources and local technologies to building earthquake resilience. Before organizing National Meeting, Earthquake Safety Memorial Meetings held in Kathmandu and Lalitpur cities. Also, Earthquake Safety Rally walked along streets of Chandragiri Municipality.

Various awareness raising and sharing & learning events are being held nationwide at Federal, Provincial and Local level.

26th ESD Programs and dissemination materials are available at https://nset.org.np/26esd/ .

26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha inaugurated 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition that aimed to showcase information and knowledge on Earthquake Risk Management and Preparedness efforts in Nepal. The Earthquake Safety Exhibition has remained integral component of Earthquake Safety Day celebration since the very beginning. This year, Exhibition  was held during January 16-17, 2024 at the Naikap Footbal Ground, Kathmandu.

DPM & Home Minister Shrestha inaugurates 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition in Kathmandu, Jan 16, 2024, Photo: NSET

Tomorrow’s Cities in 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition

Tomorrow’s Cities’ efforts showcased in 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition organized in Kathmandu as a part of 26th Earthquake Safety Day national program. Deputy Prime Minister & Home Minister, Minister for Urban Development, Mayor of Chandragiri Municipality, Executive Chief of NDRRMA and distinguished guests observed Tomorrow’s Cities Booth at 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition in Kathmandu and learned about project’s concept & philosophy, approaches, and now ongoing efforts in Rapti.

Tomorrow’s Cities’ efforts showcased in 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition organized in Kathmandu as a part of 26th Earthquake Safety Day national program. Deputy Prime Minister & Home Minister, Minister for Urban Development, Mayor of Chandragiri Municipality, Executive Chief of NDRRMA and distinguished guests observed Tomorrow’s Cities Booth at 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition in Kathmandu and learned about project’s concept & philosophy, approaches, and now ongoing efforts in Rapti.

The Tomorrow’s Cities stall has showcased the overall methodology of the program. Starting from the the community discussions held on envisioning realistic future scenarios, Conducting hazard and physical infrastructure impact studies and then developing a dedicated online dashboard to be able to see the social and physical impact in numbers. The stall also exhibited brochures and handouts on the the TCDSE and description of the work being done at Rapti. A booklet on the capacity strengthening program developed and implemented as part of the project was also displayed.  The highlight of the stall was the dashboard, which was observed with keen interest by all stakeholders who visited the stall. There were IT professionals, policy makers and media personnel who took special interest into learning how it works. All visitors appreciated the impact that Tomorrow’s Cities could have in implementing risk informed planning of future cities.

The visitors were Local community groups – Women’s group, Students, teachers, Student Scout groups, Ethnic Communities, Local social workers associations; Humanitarian organizations, Policy makers including the Home Minister (Federal), Minister of Urban Development (Federal), Mayor of Chandragiri Municipality, secretaries of various federal level ministries; and the exhibitors – for example securities agencies, DUDBC, Build up Nepal, NGS etc. There were around 600 visitors who observed this stall on Day 1 while above 150 visitors observed on Day2.

Visitors’ impressions

Visitor 1: A middle aged man (60+ may be)

Impression: TC is doing wonderful job catering communities’ vision.

Suggestion: If Bhaluwang (a town in Rapti) has a Bamboo Nursery by the bank of Rapti River, then it can be renowned for this in the country. Also, bamboo has some history associated with Bhaluwang. Bhalu Baas (bamboo) is known to be the fastest growing bamboo and can also control floods.

More interested in: More of such awareness campaigns.

Visitor 2: Two persons (30+ may be)

Impression: Its nice to see six different land use options of the same location.

Suggestion: It would be great if the legend in the maps was readable.

More interested in: To see such future plans of other cities in Nepal.

Visitor 3: A lady (40+ may be)

Impression: It’s nice that cities of Nepal are being developed.

Suggestion: It would be great to have more cities including Kathmandu Valley developed.

More interested in: More development projects in future.

Aditi Dhakal, Tomorrow’s Cities team member has an idea focusing on children and youths: Games should be developed for the junior visitors who aren’t actually interested in risk reduction and development but rather interested in playing games or learning things through games. So, it would be great if we could prepare some games for the kids. Some ideas can be:

1. Printing a snake ladder game in which there should be safe buildings in the number where there are ladders and unsafe building or disasters in the place where there are snake heads.
2. Dart game in which center should be a building constructed at the safe zone and in the periphery there can be vulnerable areas with flood, fire etc.

Certificate of participation for Tomorrow’s Cities Booth at 26th Earthquake Safety Exhibition in Kathmandu, Jan 16, 2024, Photo: NSET

The Tomorrow’s Cities’ booth at 26th Earthquake Safety Day event held in Kathmandu have been worth sharing and learning experience.