Press invitation - Press briefing: Two decades since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

PRESS INVITATION   Press briefing: Two decades since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami   On 26 December 2004, a tsunami killed 228,000 people in Asia. Could a tragedy of this magnitude happen again? UNESCO, the United Nations science organization, invites you to a press briefing to discuss the measures implemented over the past twenty years, including preparing coastal communities, building early-warning alert systems and deepening our understanding of these natural disasters. Journalists planning to cover this anniversary will have an opportunity to speak with the world's leading tsunami experts.   Two Online Press Briefings will be held to accommodate different time zones. Thursday 24 October, 10:00 CET and 16:00 CET Please register here.   The tragedy created a global wake-up call for tsunami monitoring and preparedness – topics on which UNESCO has taken a leading role.   Over the past two decades, UNESCO has developped and coordinated a global network of Tsunami Information Centers and Early Warning Systems that have drastically reduced response times and saved countless lives. The Organization has advanced scientific knowledge about tsunamis, including through in seabed mapping, studying the dynamics of tsunami generation and propagation, and how these waves interact with coastal environments and population centers. UNESCO is also working tirelessly to prepare coastal communities through its Tsunami Ready Program.   This press briefing will provide key insights into progress made so far, and the challenges that still remain, thanks to valuable input from leading tsunami experts:   Bernardo ALIAGA, Head of Tsunami Resilience, UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Laura KONG, Director of the International Tsunami Information Center, Honolulu, USA  Ardito M. KODIJAT, Head of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre, UNESCO Jakarta Office  Pradeep KHODDIPILI, Survivor of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Disaster Risk Reduction Officer, Sri Lanka   Press contact François WIBAUX, f.wibaux@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 07 46   UNESCO Newsroom All our press releases   Social media

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