Experience over recent years of the impacts of tsunamis, cyclones, flooding and other major natural hazards has shown that inadequate preparation for, and response to, emergency situations have contributed to widespread damage and the avoidable loss of lives and livelihoods.

There are increasing calls for strengthened risk assessment and mitigation, community awareness and preparedness, and multi-hazard early warning systems at all levels. As emphasised by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR 2015-2030), this requires an integrated and holistic approach to early warning for multiple hazards, and for risks tailored to user needs across sectors and community awareness. Together these will help to mainstream disaster risk reduction and to support efforts towards the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

This high-level, international symposium, which will be organised in collaboration with Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka; Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, UK; IOCUNESCO IOTWMS, WG 1 on Tsunami Risk, Community Awareness and Preparedness, and other partners will be held to recognise achievements, and to highlight work that still needs to be done. It will promote collaboration among academia, research institutions and disaster management offices, and encourage multidisciplinary and multi sectoral interaction.

The logo of the International Symposium on Multi Hazard Early Warning and Disaster Risk Reduction (MHEW DRR 2020) has been designed to reflect the wide-ranging scope and breadth of approaches to identifying, assessing and reducing the risks of disaster, as well as the most devastating disaster to afflict the host country, Sri Lanka.