14/10/2024
๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฐ
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ-๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
Today, we are focusing on something close to our hearts: the safety and well-being of our children.
๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ-๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐.
This is a reminder to everyone of us of the urgent need to take care of our young ones. They are not just our future, but they also represent the most vulnerable members of society. Our responsibility is to protect them and, at the same time, prepare them to face the growing risks and uncertainties of our world.
There are two core areas we need to focus on: protecting children through safe schools and empowering them to be safe. When we address these two aspects, we are not only shielding them from harm but also equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the challenges they may face.
๐ญ. ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐
Schools are meant to be safe spaces, where children can learn, play, and grow without fear. But in too many places around the world, schools are vulnerable to disasters like floods, earthquakes, or storms. When disaster strikes, the safety of our children should never be left to chance.
We need to make sure that school buildings are strong and resilient, able to withstand the forces of nature. Itโs not enough just to build schools, we must ensure theyโre built to last. This means adhering to safety standards, enforcing building codes, and investing in the proper infrastructure.
But school safety goes beyond bricks and mortar. Itโs about preparing for emergencies before they happen. Every school should have a clear disaster plan that includes evacuation drills and communication strategies. Teachers and staff need the right training so they can act quickly and confidently to protect their students.
Most importantly, we cannot forget that every child, no matter where they live, whether in a bustling city or a remote rural area, they deserves the same level of safety and protection. We must work to ensure that all schools, everywhere, are equipped to keep their students safe in times of crisis.
๐ฎ. ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ
While it's our duty to protect children, we must also empower them to protect themselves. Education is a powerful tool for disaster risk reduction. When we teach children about the risks they may face, we give them the knowledge to act in ways that can save lives, their own, and those of others.
Integrating disaster preparedness into school curricula is essential. Children can learn about the environment, about hazards like floods or earthquakes, and what to do when these events happen. Education in disaster preparedness can start young ones through stories, games, and lessons that make it easy for them to understand and remember.
Children are not passive victims. They are smart, adaptable, and capable of being part of the solution. By equipping them with the skills to respond to disasters, we are helping them to build confidence and resilience. Imagine a generation of children who grow up knowing exactly what to do in a crisis, who can help their families and communities stay safe. Thatโs the future we want to build.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Ladies and gentlemen, we live in a world where disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, largely due to climate change. But we are not powerless. We have the tools to protect and prepare our children through stronger schools, better education, and community-wide efforts.
This 2024 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction calls on all of us, governments, schools, organizations, and individuals to step up our game. We need to invest in school safety and disaster risk education like never before. If we take these steps now, we can create a safer, more resilient world for our children.
Together, letโs build a future where every child can learn in a safe environment, confident in their ability to face whatever challenges come their way. Letโs protect and empower our children, because their safety is our responsibility and their future is in our hands.
Thank you.
President
๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฉ๐ผ๐น๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น
University of Maiduguri
National Emergency Management Agency
Manji Samuel Sokyes
La Plage Meta Verse
Africa Public Speaking Academy - APSA
Borno State Nigeria
United Nations Information Centre - UNIC, Nigeria
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
Jukun International Center For Culttural Diplomacy
Digital Trainers & Facilitators
Africa Society of Healthcare Professionals
African Network of Hospitality Professionals
Africa Export Academy
African Wildlife Foundation
