UNITAR was honoured recently to take part in the International Conference on Peace from Disasters: Indigenous initiatives across communities, countries and continents. The conference was held in Hiroshima, Japan from 18 to 19 September and was hosted by the Hiroshima University Partnership Project for Peacebuilding and Capacity Development and the Tokyo University Global COE Program.

Over the course of the conference various specialists from around the globe discussed  the policy and process foci required for the effective reconstruction of communities affected by conflict and disaster.

UNITAR Specialist Berin McKenzie outlined the actions of the Institutes Hiroshima Office in the field of post-conflict capacity building and through the post-disaster analysis and reconstruction. In particular the focus of the presentation was the  Fellowship for Afghanistan and the Series on Sea and Human Security, the theme of the 2011 Session was Tsunami and the Natural Environment: Lessons Learned for Effective Planning.

Mr. McKenzie was joined by representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo University, the Library of Alexandria and the Institute of Developing Economies - Japan External Trade Organisation (IDE-JETRO) and Hiroshima Prefecture.