Vietnam hosts rally for International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

In Hanoi, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Hanoi National University of Education and international organizations, held a rally to observe International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and ASEAN Day for Disaster Management 2026.

The event focused on the theme “Resilience Starts at Home,” emphasizing that disaster preparedness and mitigation must begin at the household, school, and community levels. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep stated that a safe nation requires safe homes and proactive families, advocating for a shift from reactive response to proactive risk management.

Experts, including Moriyasu Kunihiro from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), highlighted the necessity of early warning systems and the importance of individuals understanding how to act upon receiving alerts. The discussions underscored that effective disaster management involves integrating risk assessment into land-use planning and fostering a culture of preparedness that accounts for unprecedented, unforeseen disasters.