Madame Irina Bokova met with the Vice Chairman of ICG/IOTWMS in Sri Lanka

Madame Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, met with Professor S.S.L. Hettiarachchi, the Vice Chairman of the UNESCO/IOC Intergovernmental Coordinating Group of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS), in Sri Lanka during the Science Dialogue held at Hotel Galadari on 16th August 2016. 

Prof. Hettiarachchi iterated the strong cooperation between the Tsunami Unit of UNESCO/IOC in Paris, the ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat in Perth, the Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) in Jakarta, and the Tsunami Service Providers (Australia, India, and Indonesia) in supporting the India Ocean member states. In particular, the successful operation and implementation of all elements of the IOTWMS including training of responders and enhancing preparedness of coastal communities exposed to tsunami threats was highlighted.

Photo: Prof. Hettiarachchi presented a copy of the UNESCO/IOC Guideline on Tsunami Risk Assessment and Mitigation for the India Ocean (No 52 Revised Edition, 2015) to Madame Irina Bokova.