WORLD TSUNAMI AWARENESS DAY AND TSUNAMI READY RECOGNITION PROGRAMME OFFICIAL LAUNCH
Today, the Minister for Education, Hon. Aseri Radrodro officiated at the World Tsunami Awareness Day and Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme official launch at National War Memorial Ground, Nasese.
In his opening address, Hon. Radrodro stated that as island nations, Fiji and our Pacific neighbours are aware of the destructive forces unleashed by geo hazards and we constantly grapple with the devastating impacts of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis, and other natural phenomena. These events lead to loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of daily lives.
Minister Radrodro highlighted that to create awareness on Tsunami we must focus on strengthening community awareness and preparedness regarding the dangers of tsunamis, empower children and youth to become change agents for more tsunami-resilient communities and inspire hope by working with stakeholders, we can build resilience against tsunamis for children and youth.
“The theme for this year’s Tsunami Awareness Day – “Empowering Children and Youth: Ensuring the Next Generation is Tsunami Prepared.” In this endeavor, education plays a crucial role. Educating our children, students, and communities about tsunamis is not just about scientific facts—it’s about life-saving knowledge.”
He stressed that Fiji remains committed to building resilience and minimising the vulnerability of our people to geohazard events and collective efforts we can work towards a world where we are no longer caught off-guard by natural disasters.
In his concluding remarks, the Education Minister emphasised that we need to empower the next generation to be prepared for future disasters, “As we observe World Tsunami Awareness Day, I urge each of us here to take this responsibility to heart. Let us remember that knowledge alone is not enough—preparedness requires action. Let us ensure that our communities, schools, and families know what to do in case of a tsunami.”
Sincere appreciation to Australian Humanitarian Partnerships , JICA, UNESCO, UNDRR and UNWomen for their continuous and generous support towards a sustainable Fiji.
