PSIC Key Plenary Speaker Touches on the Importance of Effective Disaster Management
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 | Key plenary speaker at the 12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, Dr Kiyoshi Kurokawa |
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The Pacific Science Inter-Congress (PSIC) hosted by the University of the South Pacific has provided the public and the greater University community, in particular scholars of science with a platform to effectively discuss and pose solutions to a range of human security issues affecting sovereign states in the Pacific and Pacific rim, including disaster risk management, as touched on by key plenary speaker, Dr Kioyshi Kurokawa.
Dr Kiyoshi Kurokawa, is an Academic Fellow with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, in Japan and has served on various government committees in Japan.
He has served as an executive member of many national and international professional societies and included a tenure as professor of medicine at UCLA’s School of Medicine and the University of Tokyo.
He was previously the Commissioner of the World Health Organization (2005-2009) and graciously received the invitation by the Pacific Science Association (PSA) to deliver his keynote address as the first plenary speaker at the 12th PSIC, which was officially opened on Monday, 8 July, 2013, by the President of the Republic of Fiji, His Excellency, Honourable Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
He spoke on the sensitive issue of Human Security, which is part of the overarching theme of the Inter-Congress meet.
The Japanese scientist, who is a widely published scholar on the impacts of natural disasters, related his previous analytical work on disaster management of earthquakes, and identified methods of providing human security while effectively managing the impacts of natural disasters.
Dr Kurokawa’s address made reference to the overarching parallel importance of resource security and indicated that the Pacific and rim countries, including Fiji have the ability to effectively manage available resources to better prepare for the advent of natural disasters.
According to Dr Kurokawa, “The impacts of any natural and manmade disasters are not only devastating but will also take time for people to rebuild”, and this is where the importance of having constructive discussion lies.
Dr Kurokawa added that incidents like the Fukushima earthquake and the nuclear disaster which followed are matters to learn from, and this he iterated, would be topics that could be discussed in more detail at the congress.
The Inter-Congress will see many international experts present and participate in plenary sessions and panel discussions, as well as local and regional academics to deliver a regional approach to identifying the best ways of attaining human security and sustainable development.
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