The Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) is pleased to launch its new Disaster Dialogue series.

The Disaster Dialogue series, hosted by HCRI, is a regular multi-disciplinary forum that responds to the urgent challenges posed by disaster events, including their interface with climate change and sustainable development. It provides an opportunity for the disaster scholars, practitioners and students to dialogue and exchange ideas on the about the state-of-the-art research on disaster risk reduction and resilience capacity development.

The first Disaster Dialogue takes place during Policy Week, and our speakers will reflect on themes such as the disaster policy advances vs theoretical advances, and the disaster policy advances particularly in building resilience in the Greater Manchester region through the GMRF.

Speakers: David Alexander and Kathy Oldham

Schedule:

• 17:30-18:00 - Launch reception
• 18:00-19:30
• Introduction by Dr Bernard Manyena (HCRI Lecturer in Disaster Management, and event Chair)
• Reflection by David Alexander on 'Disasters in the context of capital and labour, debt and democracy'
  
• Reflection by Kathy Oldham on 'Greater Manchester: A Resilient City Region and UNISDR Role Model'
  
• Q&A with the Audience
• 19:30 Close

All welcome.

David Alexander is Professor of Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College London. His books include "Natural Disasters", "Confronting Catastrophe", "Principles of Emergency Planning and Management" and "Recovery from Disaster" (with Ian Davis). He is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. His research and teaching interests include natural hazards, earthquake disasters and emergency planning and management. He is currently working on a new book on emergency planning.

As Head of Service with the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA’s) Civil Contingencies & Resilience Unit Kathy Oldham leads a shared service delivering emergency planning and crisis response services to Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities, together with the secretariat function for the Greater Manchester Resilience Forum. Kathy joined AGMA seven years ago to provide strategic leadership for cross-Borough work in the field of emergency preparedness and three years ago established the current team. Prior to working for AGMA, Kathy worked for Manchester City Council and managed a range of services including included social housing, regeneration, financial management, facilities management, policy development and ICT. Just prior to joining AGMA, Kathy was an Assistant Director with responsibilities for Manchester’s Grade 1 and 2* listed Town Hall and Town Hall Extension, together with their extensive historic collections. Kathy is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management and was awarded the National Capability of the Year Award 2012.