The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States observes the Arab Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 21 March of each year, a date established under the Aqaba Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2013. This annual commemoration serves as a vital reminder to the Arab community, fostering public awareness of disaster risk reduction and underscoring its critical importance.
The Arab region faces profound and escalating challenges due to climate change, environmental transformations, and recurring natural disasters. The increasing frequency and severity of earthquakes, floods, desertification, forest fires, and water scarcity have exacerbated vulnerabilities across the region. In parallel, humanitarian crises in the Middle East and North Africa have further compounded the region's exposure to disaster risks, making it among the most affected worldwide.
As part of this year's commemoration, the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, in collaboration with the Arab Centre for the Prevention of Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters, will mark the occasion under the theme: "A Resilient and Adaptive Arab Society in the Face of Disasters." The event will take place on 20 March through virtual engagement, asserting the importance of preparedness, adaptation, and collective action in mitigating disaster risks and strengthening regional resilience.
