Wenchuan earthquake and the 10th national disaster prevention and reduction day, the International Conference for the Decadal Memory of Wenchuan Earthquake was successfully held at the International Conference Hall of Institute for Disaster Reconstruction and Management, Sichuan University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Niu Zhijun, deputy director of China Earthquake Administration, Yang Xingping, vice governor of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, Wang Xinli, inspector of the Basic Education Department of the Ministry of Education, Ganga Lal Tuladhar, former Minister of Education of Nepal, Cui Peng, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Jianguo, party secretary of Sichuan University, and Li Yanrong, president of Sichuan University, Yan Shijing, vice president of Sichuan University attended the opening ceremony. Government officials, experts and scholars from many countries in South Asia such as Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, as well as experts and scholars from many famous universities in China, representatives of masters and students of Sichuan University and members of relevant units attended the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was presided over by Li Yanrong.
Before the conference, all the delegates held hands and stood silently for a minute of silence to deeply cherish memory of those compatriots who had died in the Wenchuan earthquake and martyrs who sacrificed themselves in the earthquake relief.
Wang Jianguo made a speech on behalf of the school. He said that Sichuan University always kept in mind the university’s mission and responsibility. After the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan University not only completed its self-rescue for the first time, but also gave full play to its advantages in all aspects and fully participated in the earthquake relief and post-disaster reconstruction. In particular, it collaborated with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to jointly build the first and only comprehensive disaster reduction and emergency management college in the world, combining the advantages of the two universities to develop multidisciplinary, wide-ranging, international, high-level disaster prevention and disaster relief as well as post-disaster reconstruction so as to meet the needs such as scientific research, personnel training and professional services, making due contributions to earthquake relief and post-disaster reconstruction.
Wang Jianguo first comprehensively reviewed the school’s ten-year initiatives in the fields such as first-class talent training, scientific research, social services, medical and health services, and high-end international exchanges and cooperation. He then said that Sichuan University will always remember its initial mission and continue to shoulder its responsibility and serve the community. Besides, Sichuan University will further give play to the advantages of comprehensive disciplines and cooperate with universities and institutions at home and abroad. In doing so, Sichuan University can actively explore new models for capacity building of disaster reduction and emergency response and education on disaster prevention and reduction in domestic universities, strive to establish a Sichuan University model for international high-end professionals focusing on disaster prevention, disaster reduction and major disasters crisis management, contribute to the global research on innovation in disaster prevention and mitigation, gather experiences to the formation of world-class universities and global interaction mechanism for major disasters and crisis management, and do its own part in youth education on disaster prevention and mitigation in China.
Niu Zhijun said in his speech that the China Earthquake Administration and Sichuan University have carried out all-round, multi-ranging and deep cooperation in related scientific research, infrastructure construction, social services, and talent education, which has significant practical effects. In particular, Sichuan University has strengthened its seismic safety cooperation with countries along the “Belt and Road Initiative” to significantly enhance the disaster prevention capabilities of countries and regions along the route, reduce the risk of earthquakes in the “Belt and Road” infrastructures, and promote China’s experience and model in disaster prevention and mitigation and disaster relief work. We look forward to reaching more and extensive consensus on personnel training for disaster prevention and reduction, disaster education, and international cooperation in the future, and in this way we can provide strong support to effectively reduce the risk of earthquake disasters.
Wang Xinli pointed out in his speech that Sichuan University was the first university in China to apply for the establishment of a national education and training base on youth disaster prevention and mitigation, which has been highly valued by the leaders of the Ministry of Education. It is hoped that Sichuan University can make the best of this base to extensively collaborate with institutions of disaster prevention and disaster reduction teaching and research to develop youth disaster prevention and disaster reduction education, promote their emergency adaption ability, and popularize campus safety curriculum. Besides, Sichuan University will organize schools of all level and various fields of society to carry out emergency evacuation, safety protection and life safety education and emergency training drills for disaster prevention and reduction, actively dig out the ability of domestic universities to participate in public disaster reduction emergency response capacity building. We hope in this way, we can create models for disaster prevention and disaster reduction education, further enhance adolescents' safety awareness and knowledge on disaster prevention and reduction, add new strength to national disaster reduction and disaster prevention, and promote national economic and social development and push forward human civilization progress.
With the witnesses of the guests and representatives, Yang Xingping, Wang Xinli, Wang Jianguo, and Li Yanrong jointly unveiled the “National Youth Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Education Base” awarded by the Ministry of Education.
At the forum, Cui Peng gave a speech with the title of The Training of Young Talents in the Prevention and Mitigation of Disasters in the West of China and along the Belt and Road. Ganga Lal Tuladhar gave a speech with the title of The Status and Thoughts of Disaster Prevention, Disaster Relief and Disaster Relief Education in Nepal. Li Weimin, President of Huaxi Clinical Medical College (Huaxi Hospital) took the title of The History, Today, and the Future of Emergency Medical Rescue and Disaster Medicine in Huaxi Clinical Medical College in 10 Years to give a speech. Gretchen Kalonji, Dean of the College of Post-disaster Reconstruction and Management, took the title of The History, Current Situation, and Future of IDMR Disaster Education Development, the “Belt and Road” International Cooperation and gave a speech.
Li Yanrong stated in his speech that although ten years have passed since the Wenchuan earthquake, it is still possible that we will encounter various natural disasters in the future. It is required that we must enhance the disaster education for everyone, especially young people. We hope to minimize the damage caused by disasters, and achieve a harmonious relationship between man and nature by improving the ability to respond scientifically to major disasters, summing up experiences, and increasing wisdom in responding to disasters. Sichuan University will take this event as a new starting point, and work together with disaster prevention and reduction and disaster relief colleagues around the world to jointly contribute to the development of disaster prevention and reduction in China.
During the forum, Wang Xinli and his party also made a special visit to inspect the construction of the national youth disaster prevention and reduction education base, and highly recognized the fruitful achievements in disaster education, professional personnel training, disaster research, disaster relief, and post-disaster reconstruction.
