On May 12, the decadal memory of the May 12 Wenchuan Earthquake, the Fifth "Youth·Responsibility·Dream" International Student Forum On Disaster Management and Reconstruction hosted by the youth league committee, the student union and the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, was held in Sichuan University. Students from more than 20 colleges and universities including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, and Macau University of Science and Technology, as well as international students from countries such as the United States, Spain and Russia, attended the forum.

In the morning of May 10, the delegates visited the old town of Beichuan, the worst-hit areas after the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake, and visited the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake Memorial Museum.

Figure: Delegates of colleges and universities gave flowers in front of the victims' cemetery

Figure: The delegates conducted group discussions after the visit

Figure: The delegates took a picture in front of the 5.12 Wenhcuan Earthquake Memorial Museum

On May 11, the representatives attended the Fifth "Youth·Responsibility·Dream" International Student Forum On Disaster Management and Reconstruction in the lecture hall of Yifu Science Museum, Wangjiang campus, Sihcuan University. Zhao Lu, the secretary of youth league committee of Sichuan University made a speech on the forum. She said that it is of great significance for college students at home and abroad to discuss how to participate and deal with major disaster on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake. It was hoped that the delegates could fully exchange their ideas, deeply aware that fighting against natural disasters is an eternal topic for the survival and development of human beings, have disaster risk concepts and accept education for disaster prevention, and work together to create a beautiful, harmonious and civilized earth.

Liao Jinlei, the vice president of the student union and the president of the youth volunteers association of Sichuan University, shared his presentation with the topic of "the Youth Volunteers of Sichuan University in Earthquake Relief and Post-disaster Reconstruction". Zhang Xing, the team leader of the "Colorful Stone" volunteer group, shared the psychological support to teenagers in the disaster areas by letters and homework correcting. Other representatives also made reports around topics such as "Cultural Identity and National Spirit in Wenchuan Earthquake Relief Work", "Post-disaster Reconstruction and Sustainable Development", "Scientific and Technological Innovation and Modern Disaster Reduction", "Discipline Development for Disaster Reduction and Emergency and Youth Talents Cultivation" and "International Disaster Reduction and the Responsibility of Colleges Students", ect.

Figure: demonstration made by the delegates

In the morning of May 12, the delegates visited Sichuan Disaster Prevention and Reduction Museum. There, they learned about knowledge of disaster prevention and reduction, as well as the causes of various disasters and their prevention and rescue methods. Besides, they experienced the shaking of houses caused by primary waves, secondary waves, and their combination of primary waves and secondary waves.

Figure: the delegates of colleges and universities were learning knowledge on earthquake prevention and disaster reduction

In the afternoon of May 12, the delegates attended the opening ceremony of Sichuan University International Conference for the Decadal Memory of the Wenchuan Earthquake in the lecture hall of Sichuan University-the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction. At 2:28pm, all member paid a silent tribute to the dead killed in the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake.

Figure: the delegates attended the opening ceremony of Sichuan University International Conference for the Decadal Memory of the Wenchuan Earthquake

The representatives came to the tent hospital to visit the world's first highest-ranking non-military EMT Type 3, the international emergency medical team of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Later, on the opening ceremony of the Fifth "Youth·Responsibility·Dream" International Student Forum On Disaster Management and Reconstruction, the host declared the letter from World Health Organization (WHO) and Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) to the organizing committee of this forum. Delegates from Tsinghua University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Macau University of Science and Technology and Sichuan University read out the joint initiative of all participants. At this point, the Fifth "Youth·Responsibility and ·Dream" International Student Forum On Disaster Management and Reconstruction was successfully concluded.

Figure: The letter from WHO

Figure: The delegates red the proposal

It is reported that the international student forum on disaster management and reconstruction was initiated by the student union of Sichuan University. The first forum was held in 2014. Since then, the forum has been highly concerned by all sectors of the society and has attracted active participation of college students at home and abroad. The fifth forum is not only a memory and commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake, but also a reflection of contemporary youth's awareness of disaster prevention and reduction and their social responsibility. Disaster prevention and reduction is an eternal topic for the survival and development of human beings. With dreams and responsibility in mind, the youth will accept the mission and work together with international community to make contributions to the harmonious coexistence of human and nature by scientifically learning the laws of disasters and effectively reduce disaster risks.