DRR Day 2024: UNDP North Macedonia in a week of action dedicated to youth and disaster resilience

From the inauguration of one of the longest murals in North Macedonia, to a discussion in the parliament on youth and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Skopje, alongside two school evacuation drills in Tetovo and Ohrid, UNDP has organized an inspiring series of events in the run-up to International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on this October 13.

Reflecting our organization's long-standing commitment to climate resilience and risk management in North Macedonia, the week-long initiative was held under this year's theme for DRR Day "Empowering the Next Generation for a Resilient Future" and focused on the pivotal role of youth in fostering resilience and preparedness, particularly in harnessing the potential of the education sector to reduce disaster risk.

"By fostering partnerships, promoting knowledge sharing, and advocating for policy changes, we can create a more equitable and resilient future for all. We must ensure that our strategies and interventions are sensitive to the diverse needs and experiences of all ages and genders, leaving no one behind in our pursuit of disaster resilience"

-said the RR of UNDP, Armen Grigoryan in his address in the Parliament, where he presented the diverse activities of UNDP North Macedonia related to Disaster Risk Reduction.

North Macedonia is recognized as one of the most vulnerable European countries to climate change (No. 65 on the Climate vulnerability index).

In the last decade, the country faced different disasters, like torrential floods and forest fires, which caused serious economic impact and regrettably even some fatalities.

After the floods in the Polog region from 2015, the Swiss government has funded and UNDP in partnership with the national and local authorities implemented series of disaster risk reduction measures.

The focus of the ambitious range of activities was strengthening the preparedness of the most vulnerable groups, raising awareness, improving infrastructure, and providing essential resources to better equip communities for future disasters.

DRR Creative Challenge: Mural Creation

The week kicked off on the outskirts of Tetovo with the inauguration of the 511 m2 mural, "Guardians of Tomorrow: A Street Art Journey in Disaster Preparedness". The painting, created by youth artists from the LOJA center for Balkan cooperation, adorns the stabilization wall at HEC Pena, previously implemented to protect this crossing point from active landslides under the project "Improving flood resilience in the Polog region", funded by the Swiss government.

This artwork resulted from a two-stage process: firstly, an initiation to DRR with pupils from various elementary schools in Tetovo, who took part in a creative drawing workshop on DRR-related themes; secondly, the selection of drawings by professional youth street artists as a source of inspiration, and the consolidation of these drawings into a single artwork with the support of young volunteers.

By combining education and culture, this vibrant mural, located on a popular hiking path for the inhabitants of Tetovo, will both ensure a safe passage towards Banjice and serve as a constant reminder of the strength of unity and preparedness.

In particular, the narrative approach of the street artwork underlines the role of young people in disaster preparedness and environmental stewardship, emphasizing that everyone, irrespective of age, has a role to play in ensuring the safety of their community.

"We are happy that this wall, which was built to protect people from landslides, on the street leading to a popular destination for the local population is now also serving as a canvas for street art. This is just part of the improvements made possible by our work with UNDP, and we'll look for additional avenues for continuing with it."

- said Bilall Kasami, mayor of Tetovo.

Parliamentary Session on Youth and DRR

From the field to the political heart of Skopje. The second event of the series was organized jointly with the Parliament, inside the legislative branch of the government in North Macedonia. The parliamentary session was designed to raise the issue of DRR to the level of legislators, critical actors in ensuring the adoption of an adequate framework for disaster governance in national law, and to provide a platform to advocate for youth-inclusive decisions and policies on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and the importance of planning for climate and disaster resilient urban areas.

The event brought together youth representatives, parliamentarians, crisis headquarters, vulnerable groups NGOs (youth, gender, disability) and the international community.

In particular, the systematic inclusion of DRR drills in school curricula could represent a good practice for mainstreaming public awareness of Disaster Risk Reduction and making this crucial issue for the country an institutional priority at all levels.

"One of the first steps for the engagement of the young people in the Disaster Risk Management is through the education. The schools and universities must include disaster management classes, where they will teach the students how to effectively react on the risks faced by their communities. "

- said the Speaker of the Parliament, Afrim Gashi.

"We have to recognize that the young people are not only victims of disasters, but also strong agents of change. Young people have the energy, creativity and resilience necessary for playing a leading role in the efforts for increasing preparedness to disasters. However, we have to make sure that we actively involve them in the creation of policies aimed at reducing the risk of disasters"

-said Marina Dimovska, general secretary of the Parliament.

School Emergency Drills

With the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events caused by climate change, leading to an enhanced risk of floods, forest fires or prolonged heat waves, as well as the continuing threat of earthquakes in the region, it is essential to provide young people and students with the practical knowledge and skills they need to respond more effectively to disaster events.

Complementing the eight DRR simulation drills involving over 2,000 students and workshops based on an appropriate DRR textbook developed as part of the Polog project, two additional drills were carried out this week in high schools for protection and rescue in the event of forest fires in Ohrid and floods in Tetovo.

Through realistic scenarios and with the support of local authorities and front-line disaster response organizations, students and school personnel gain a better understanding of the principles of disaster preparedness and response and learn how to assess risks, follow emergency plans and work collaboratively to implement lifesaving strategies and provide first aid.

These simulations are also essential for the institutions involved, enabling them to test preparedness plans, identify gaps in response strategies and improve coordination between different agencies, schools, and community members.

But school drills have an impact that extends well beyond the classroom, as they raise students' awareness of the potential risks to which they are exposed and boost their confidence in their ability to act decisively in a crisis and contribute to the resilience of their communities.

UNDP seeks to initiate transformational change in disaster risk governance in the region, supporting an accelerated shift from reactive responses to integrated risk management systems to prevent and mitigate losses and reduce the impacts of future disasters. The series of UNDP events leading up to the International Day for Disaster Reduction show the way forward in fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience, ensuring that the next generation is properly equipped to face the challenges ahead.