2019 Sasakawa Award nominations open

Geneva, 22 November 2018 - Nominations for the 2019 Sasakawa Award are now open. The Award will recognize individuals, organizations and initiatives that have best contributed to ensuring inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation in disaster risk reduction activities for all sections of society, especially the poor.

Many of those who are most vulnerable to losing their lives in a disaster can be very effective agents of change in their communities if they are engaged and actively involved in disaster risk management. They have insights into disaster risk which need to be captured if we are to meet the targets for reducing loss of life and economic losses set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, said Mami Mizutori, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Despite significant progress in many countries in reducing disaster mortality, all too often it is people with reduced mobility or freedom of action including women, children, the elderly and persons living with disabilities who are most affected by disaster events, Ms. Mizutori added.

Jointly organized by UNISDR and the Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Award will give a maximum of US $50, 000 to one or more winners, during an official Award ceremony that will take place at the next Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland from 15-17 May 2019.

The deadline for nominations is 31 January 2019.

Together with the World Health Organization Sasakawa Health Prize and the UN Environment Programme Sasakawa Environment Prize, the United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction is one of three prestigious prizes established in 1986 by founding Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa.

To learn more about the Sasakawa Award and the nomimation process please go to: https://www.unisdr.org/we/campaign/sasakawa