New York, Nov. 5 (Jiji Press)–High school students from northeastern Japan presented their insights on disaster preparedness during a panel discussion at U.N. Headquarters in New York on Thursday, World Tsunami Awareness Day. The United Nations designated Nov. 5 as World Tsunami Awareness Day in 2015. Three students from Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, which was hit hard by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, delivered speeches in English, sharing what they had learned in an effort to promote “inclusive disaster risk reduction that leaves no one behind.” Mika Karube, 17, of Morioka Chuo High School, who chaired the High School Students Summit on World Tsunami Awareness Day held in Morioka in October, cited the summit’s declaration. “We hereby pledge to work hand in hand with friends around the world to learn and act to save lives,” she quoted the declaration as saying. “We will create the future of disaster risk reduction.” The students, including Moka Ishizawa, 16, of Morioka Daisan High School, who served as vice chair of the summit, highlighted the importance of sharing easy-to-understand information on disaster prevention and making disaster preparedness part of daily life. “I hope (my presentation) will contribute to future disaster prevention efforts,” Karube said after the discussion. Ishizawa said, “I once again realized the significance of this issue after seeing the audience listen so attentively.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
