Macerata, 21st November, 2017
Macerata, candidate as 2020 Italian Capital of Culture, joins the over 150 cities in EU and LATAM that have signed up for the "Making Cities Resilient in 2017: My city is Getting Ready" global campaign to enhance their efforts towards making their territory resilient. Today’s UNISDR certification of the City of Macerata is not only about awareness but also about a willingness to put in place organization and coordination to understand and reduce disaster risk. It is about tools – such as the new Italian version of the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities - and actions, risk assessment and prevention, about following best practice in the actuation of architectural norms; in strengthening essential infrastructure; the preparation of procedures, knowledge of shared system and infrastructure and about investing in training.
Carlo Papa, Director of Enel Foundation and vice chair of ARISE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, together with Takashi Kawamoto, of the Regional Office of Europe and Central Asia UNISDR, illustrated the campaign in the presence of Romano Carancini, Mayor of Macerata, and around 60 illustrious guests from across the province of Macerata.
“In recent years, as you know, disasters caused by natural hazards have become more frequent and more serious,” commented Dr. Papa during his speech. “According to UNISDR, they cost our economies about USD 300 billion every year. To get an idea, it is more than ten times what we spend on humanitarian aid at an international level. […] Clearly, considering the scale of the problem, public and private institutions must work together and support each other. Together we must reduce the risk and impact of future hazards by building a more resilient system.”
Avv. Romano Carancini, Mayor of Macerata, said "I believe that for the city of Macerata, also in its role as a provincial capital, to adhere to the activities and programs of the campaign" Making Cities Resilient ", is an essential step in the path of good practice for proper territorial management and for the safety of its inhabitants. Macerata is committed to raising awareness and involving as many other local communities and local institutions as possible to create a significant network of contacts and a structured collaboration path.”