As many as 54 stalls were set up during the eighth National Disaster Management Exhibition held at University of Peshawar (UoP) on Wednesday. The two-day exhibition was organised by the Centre for Disaster Preparedness and Management volunteer club in collaboration with PDMA-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, UNDP, ACF International (Action against Hunger), Handicap International, ActionAid and The NGO World Foundation in the lawns of the Sheikh Muhammad Taimur Academic Block.
UoP Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Rasul Jan inaugurated the exhibition. He was accompanied by Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences Dean Professor Dr Amir Nawaz Khan, PDMA Director Relief Abdul Basit, UNDP Pakistan Disaster Management Specialist Dr Muhi Osama, The ACF Field Co-ordinator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and Director Operations Handicap International Waheed Shah. The VC was briefed by representatives of various NGOs working on disaster management and climate change.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Rasul Jan said Pakistan was prone to natural and manmade disasters, adding it was imperative to equip trained disaster management professionals to ensure damage limitation. He said many organisations from the government and private sector were established to manage calamities after the devastating Kashmir earthquake in 2005. However, the lack of trained and skilled professionals meant ideal results could not be achieved. UoP therefore established the Centre for Disaster Preparedness and Management to supply an adequate number of trained professionals to work in these organisations, the VC said.
The Vice Chancellor said education should focus on dreams and hopes for the future to develop a strong economies and societies. In this regard, the University of Peshawar contributes to the formation of mature community and society. Dr Rasul Jan said the university was working towards "education for peace" and would make every effort to achieve it. He appreciated the participation of the scores of national and foreign delegates in the exhibition. He said the occasion would provide a networking opportunity for them to liaison and benefit from each other's experience. The VC said "we can't live in isolation and nor can't we rely on external help forever. Every one of us needs to learn about the risks and the mechanisms to mitigate and withstand the impacts.