PURPOSE An earthquake can be a frightening and destructive natural event. With increasing population and the potential encroachment of urban development into areas susceptible to earthquakes, vulnerability to earthquakes could intensify. However, we have begun to challenge the premise that earthquakes present an uncontrollable and unpredictable hazard to life and property. With greater understanding of the causes and effects of earthquakes, we may be able to reduce damage and loss of life from these destructive events. The course on Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities has been designed to achieve this goal. With healthy experiences in providing similar courses for natural disaster mitigation within the Asian Region, ADPC provide a model training experience in this latest course by integrating well compiled study material, case studies, audio visual enhancement and interactive adult learning strategies.

The course builds on past and enduring endeavors such as Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI), UN, IDNDR, ISDR initiative for Risk Assessment Tools for Diagnosis or Urban Areas against Seismic Disasters (RADIUS) and Global Earthquake Safety Initiative (GESI) launched by UNCRD , the Geo-Hazard International and from the rich lessons learnt and experiences from the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project (KVERMP) and Indonesian Urban Disaster Mitigation Project (IUDMP) under the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) of ADPC implemented with local partner organization National Security for Earthquake Technology (NSET), Nepal and Institute of Technology- Bandung (ITB), Indonesia.

OBJECTIVE The course aspires to provide

• Training on earthquake vulnerability reduction strategies • Know-how for the development of organized approaches for earthquake vulnerability reduction • Knowledge and skills for implementation of mitigation initiatives • Appreciation of risk communication • Analysis of the need to develop multi-sectoral partnerships for successful implementation of mitigation measures • Field exposure to ongoing mitigation work

COURSE CONTENT • Overview on Urbanization, Urban Hazards, Vulnerabilities, Risk and Disaster Management • Earthquake Hazard and Risk Assessment Methods • Earthquake Vulnerabilities • Earthquake Vulnerabilities Reduction Methods • Tsunami Hazard, Vulnerability Assessment Methods • Planning for Vulnerability Reduction of Earthquake • Implementation of Vulnerability Reduction Programs

PARTICIPANTS This course is particularly useful for those concerned with reduction of vulnerabilities to earthquake in the urban areas. It is open to all countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The targeted audiences of the course are:

• Administrators and officials from provincial and city administration, development and planning authorities • National level ministries, departments and institutions dealing with urban planning development, housing, infrastructure, public works, utilities, waterworks, drainage, etc. • Private sector corporations, builders, infrastructure developers, insurance companies and others • Elected representatives from cities and towns • Emergency response agencies and emergency planners • Relief and rehabilitation agencies • UN agencies and international organizations • NGOs working on disaster mitigation, especially on earthquake mitigation • Advocacy and public awareness campaigners, etc.

LANGUAGE All teaching and course materials are in English. It is essential that participants are fully conversant in English.

RESOURCE PERSONS International experienced practitioners and experts from different organizations will complement ADPC's in-house expertise to conduct and facilitate the DMC course.

COURSE FEE The tuition fee is US$2000 with a registration fee of US$40. For the convenience of participants, ADPC provides a Full Package Course Fee which includes tuition fee, registration fee, 13 days (8th- 20th June) for all meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) with a choice of alternative accommodation. A Full Package of Course Fee with a twin-share accommodation is at US$ 2820 per participant while a Full Package with a single accommodation is at US$ 3140 per participant. ADPC will try to fulfill all participants' accommodation requests but cannot guarantee providing a twin-share accommodation package if there are no partners available or willing to share a room. In such a case, we will inform the participant in advance that he or she is required to pay for the course fee with single accommodation package. Travel cost is not included in the course fee. All participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and visa expenses, including transportation from and to airport, and also for health/accident insurance and other personal expenses.

ACCOMMODATION The accommodation will be arranged at the same hotel where the training will be held. The room will be arranged from 8th to 20th June. Please note that if participant wants to stay a few more days in Bangkok prior to and after the course, all arrangement and expenses for the extra days will be born by the participants.

PAYMENT If you are selected to attend the course, the payment should be transferred to ADPC account through bank or international demand draft (DD) not later than 9th of May 2008. Otherwise, your participation will be cancelled. Please note that personal checks are not acceptable.

GROUP DISCOUNT ADPC has established an arrangement which recognizes the special needs of sponsoring organizations who wish to send large groups to the course. This operates when one single organization decides to send a group of five persons to the course, in which case the tuition fee US$ 2000 will be waived for the sixth participant from that organization. Therefore, the sixth participant needs to pay only the rest of amount after deducing US$ 2000 tuition fee from the full package of his choice.

REGISTRATION Interested persons can apply as individuals although preference will be given to those sponsored by the organizations. Those participants who come as individuals and are not sponsored by their organizations, details of these requirements will be sent to person in this category as part of the course nomination procedure. Those applicants who are sponsored by their organizations, a letter of endorsement/sponsorship from their organizations is required to be submitted. An application Form is available on ADPC website http://www.adpc.net/v2007/TRG/DOWNLOAD/trgappliform.doc, and can be submitted by 30th May 2008 through email, fax or mail by post. (See contact details below). Pre-course information will be provided once you have received the acceptance for the course.

CANCELLATION If you are unable to attend, a substitute applicant from your organization is welcome. Cancellation of attendance should be notified 3 weeks prior to course commencement; in which case, 85% of course fee will be reimbursed. No reimbursements will be made for cancellations within 3 weeks prior to course commencement.

Urban Disaster Risk Management (UDRM) The outcome of Asia's high rate of urbanization has been the expansion of urban populations in geographic areas which are prone to disaster impact. The result is an increased vulnerability of populations and infrastructure. Disaster mitigation measures such as:

• Earthquake, tsunami and cyclone-resistance building and infrastructure • flood and landslide control measures • incorporation of disaster vulnerability into land use planning • introduction of regulatory measures in industrialized zones

have rarely been attempted in most Asian countries. Activities undertaken by the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) over a period of eight years, have demonstrated the effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing natural disaster vulnerability. Demonstration projects in nine countries, information dissemination an d networking activities, and the regional training courses on Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction, Flood Risk Mitigation, Technological Risk Reduction and Urban Disaster Mitigation have convincingly brought to light the opportunities for high impact interventions. Local officials in selected cities have positively responded to the initial project activities by the way of funding and incorporating disaster vulnerability considerations to their buildings and zoning regulations.

Currently, a significant high demand is apparent for Urban Disaster Risk Management (UDRM), not only in AUDMP target countries but also in other countries of the region. This demand for expansion of UDRM activities has been set to improve response, preparedness capacities to reduce the vulnerability.

As ADPC has been implementing and linking diverse activities through out the region, it has recognized the importance of enhancing the scope of AUDMP through the theme action is focused on Urban Disaster Risk Management. This will become a permanent focus area of ADPC for future endeavor. UDRM will continue to facilitate interventions for promotion of local and traditional practices, research and technology transfer, replication of best practices, promotion of innovative solutions, and development of information products to capture experiences for their dissemination as well as training and capacity building

CONTACT ADDRESS Mr. Falak Nawaz Manager Training Resource Group Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang Pathumthani 12120, Thailand Tel: (66 2) 516 5900-10 ext. 333, 328, 153, 432 Fax: (66 2) 524 5360, 524 5350, 524 5382 Email: tedadpc@adpc.net Website: http://www.adpc.net