Representatives from Tunisia, Mauritania and Italy taking part in a City-to-City workshop on urban reslience

POTENZA, 16 July, 2019 – Representatives from ten local municipalities in Tunisia and Mauritania are taking part in the “City-to-City Technical Exchange Workshop on Urban and Territorial Resilience” hosted by the province of Potenza, Italy.

The joint activity is part of the “Enhancing Community Resilience and Human Security of Vulnerable Communities in Urban Settings through the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” project funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and implemented by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNDRR) Regional Office for Arab state in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tunisia and Mauritania.

“When we speak of resilience, the first thing that comes to mind is to try to create a better future for next generations,” said Mr. Rocco Guarino, President of the province of Potenza after welcoming the participants.

Mr. Guarino reaffirmed Potenza’s commitment to support governments, cities, municipalities and communities worldwide that intend to undertake similar improvement pathways in the field of disaster risk reduction through sharing the experience gained by the Province in decades of concrete and positive work.

“The workshop we are having this week will allow the exchange of knowledge and help us all find the best way to enforce human security,” said Mr. Annunziato Vardè, Prefect of Potenza.

“The Province of Potenza claims an experience that goes far back in time, characterized with a strong institutional action on a small territory with great fragilities and hazards such as earthquakes, landslides and other natural hazards. We are confident that this opportunity will allow us to share knowledge and commitments for mutual engagement in enhancing community resilience,” said Mr. Alessandro Attolico, Executive Director of the Territorial Planning and Civil Protection Office at the Province of Potenza and UNDRR Advocate for the MCR Campaign.

Mr. Valerio Giambersio from the City of Peace for Children Foundation, chaired by Ms. Betty Williams Nobel Peace Prize laureate, presented a model of integration and humanitarian assistance. “The majority of refugees whose stories we presented today are integrated in our society and our aim is to use our full capacity to improve their life and make our community more resilient,” he said.

Deputy Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab states, Mr. Fadi Jannan, highlighted the substantial efforts being made by Arab States to enhance the resilience and security of their local communities.