5th Tsunami Museum Conference held at APMCDRR 2024

On 14 October, 2024, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya delivered the opening remarks at the Fifth World Tsunami Museum Conference (WTMC5), a side event of the week-long Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR2024) held in Manila, Philippines.

WTMC5, building on four previous conferences, focused on "Empowering the Next Generation: Roles of Disaster Museums for a Resilient Future."

In his remarks, Ambassador Endo emphasized the importance of educating and empowering children in disaster risk reduction, noting that it enables them to protect themselves and become agents of resilience in their families and communities. He also highlighted the role of museums in passing on experiences, lessons, and wisdom gained from facing tsunamis and other disasters to future generations.

Also attending the conference were Dr. Teresito C. Bacolcol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Mayor Kohri Kazuko of Sendai, Japan, and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Kobe Office Head Matsuoka Yuki. A group of high school students from Sendai City, Japan, also participated, presenting their project on a guide to visiting disaster risk reduction museums.