NEW DELHI, 16 February 2021 – The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) late Monday welcomed CDRI Co-Chairs Alok Sharma, COP26 President, and Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to launch two initiatives to promote international awareness and networking for greater disaster resilient infrastructure around the globe. 

As part of this week’s visit to India, Mr. Sharma joined Dr. Mishra, Mr. Kamal Kishore, the India Co-Chair of the CDRI Executive Committee and member of India’s National Disaster Management Authority, and CDRI Director General Sandeep Poundrik to launch the CDRI Resilient Infrastructure Marketplace and a global essay writing competition for students. 

To be showcased at the 17-19 March 2021 International Conference for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), the Marketplace provides space for public and private sector solution providers to showcase their knowledge or technology products online.  

The platform will also promote and structure the global market for much-needed disaster and climate resilient infrastructure systems and products. This has been a key focus area for CDRI as a global partnership of national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, private sector and knowledge institutions that promotes disaster resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems. 

CDRI Member Countries can boost infrastructure resilience through solution-centred engagement with companies, universities and organizations. 

Dr. Mishra and Mr. Sharma also announced a global essay writing competition for university students titled “Youth for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure”. The essay competition will be the first of series of events to engage youth in discussions on resilient infrastructure. 

“In our endeavour to build resilience, the younger generation not only needs to participate but lead. This initiative will be a platform to hear their voices and shape a resilient future,” said Dr. Mishra. 

The essay writing competition is an opportunity for college and university students from around the globe to share their opinions on the crucial role of disaster resilient infrastructure for sustainable development.   

“Best of luck to all young people participating in this competition, which addresses vital issues for our future well-being,” Mr. Sharma said. 

Students are asked to submit essays of up to 1,000 words on one of these topics: 1) nature-based solutions for disaster resilient infrastructure; 2) innovation and emerging technologies in disaster resilient infrastructure; or 3) indigenous practices in disaster resilient infrastructure.  Students interested in submitting essays can visit icdri.cdri.world or send an email to info@cdri.world.  

Learn more about the CDRI Resilient Infrastructure Marketplace here: https://icdri.cdri.world/CDRI-Resilient-Infrastructure-Marketplace-at-ICDRI-2021.html 
 
See photos from the launch event here:  https://www.flickr.com/gp/190504301@N07/6m8p80 

Register for ICDRI 2021 here: https://icdri.cdri.world/Register.html 

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CDRI is a growing partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks, financing mechanisms, private sector and knowledge institutions that promotes the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks. 

For more information, contact CDRI’s Communication and Media team at: communication@cdri.world 

Follow CDRI: 
Website: cdri.world - Twitter: @cdri_world - LinkedIn: /company/coalition-for-diasaster-resilient-infrastructure/  

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