Turning the tide on disasters towards sustainable development: living with risk

2003 United Nations World disaster reduction campaign

As the slogan suggests - Turning the Tide - the 2003 World Disaster Reduction Campaign was aimed at changing our perceptions and attitudes towards hydrometeorological disasters through the involvement of as many sectors as possible. While its culminating occasion was the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction - on 8 October 2003 - the Campaign itself was in fact extended beyond the year 2003 until World Water Day on 22 March 2004. On that day, UNISDR and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) worked together to take the lead within the UN system in the international celebrations focusing specifically on water-related disasters. It represented an opportunity for national institutions, schools, community groups, media at the regional, national and local levels to highlight the subject and draw attention to lessons learned and best practices on how to reduce the vulnerability to water related hazards, organize round-tables, festivals, community contests and other events to raise awareness on disaster reduction.