Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab in collaboration with Department of Social Work, University of the Punjab, organized one day seminar on “Emerging Challenges in Disaster Management and Volunteerism”. PDMA Additional Director General Dr. Khurram Shehzad, Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr. Zaffar Mueen Nasar, PIU-PDMA Project Coordinator Nisar Ahmed Sani, Social Welfare Department Director Hafiz Muhammad Akram along with a large number of students attended the seminar.
Addressing on the occasion, Dr. Khurram Shehzad said that disasters often come without early warning therefore, we all must be fully prepared to cope with any emergent situation. He also gave presentation on “Emerging Challenges in Disaster Management and Volunteerism” to the students. He elaborated at length the main objectives and aims to identify challenges and stressed the need to adopt better approach to community mobilization and networking to address disaster risk reduction goals through a coordinated participation and interactive process. He said that active participation from students was essential to tackle disasters like floods and earthquakes. He encouraged students to work with PDMA Punjab as volunteers and participate in community based training programme of PDMA. He also shed light on the working environment of PDMA Punjab and the progress made so far to reduce the vulnerability of communities and achieve sustainable development. Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr. Zaffar Mueen Nasar appreciated PDMA Punjab efforts to tackle disasters and gave nod to work and cooperate with PDMA. As per the plan, the students from social work and other departments would work with PDMA as volunteers and PDMA would enhance their skills to combat natural and man-made disasters.
