"Disaster Reduction starts at school"
UNESCO and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) are organizing a competition to find a slogan that sums up why disaster prevention begins at school. The competition is open to all pupils between the ages of 6 to 18, who have until 31 March to enter. (More)

Global Action Plan to reduce losses caused by landslides
A Global Action Plan for reducing losses caused by landslides was adopted in Tokyo (Japan) on 20 January at an international meeting held under the auspices of UNESCO and organized in conjunction with the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR). The meeting also set up a global network of International Programmes on Landslides. Based at Kyoto University in Japan, the network will function under the aegis of UNESCO and other international bodies. (More)

China challenges dominance of USA, Europe and Japan in scientific research according to UNESCO Science Report 2005
Remarkable growth in a small number of emerging Asian economies, led by China, is challenging the leadership of North America, Europe and Japan in research and development (R&D;), according to the newly published UNESCO Science Report 2005. The report, written by an international team of independent experts, analyses the development of science and technology around the world, with a wealth of data that is both quantitative and qualitative. (Read the report in PDF)

Printed version: UNESCO Publishing

A World of Science in January
In the wake of the UN Conference on Climate Change in Montréal last month, A World of Science looks at UNESCO's contribution to research on climate change via observation of the oceans and of mountain regions. In an issue which marks the end of the International Year of Physics, we discover why physicists study the ocean to understand climate, against the backdrop of a record number of extreme climate events in 2005.

Other highlights include an interview with Sabrina Krief on why the Great Apes living in the wild still have so much to teach us, be it about 'cultural diversity', our own origins or where to look for new molecules for medicines.

Last but not least, we travel to Bangladesh where a low-cost filter which removes arsenic from domestic water is currently being tested. Developed by the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, this 'family filter' could save millions of lives in Bangladesh and around the world.

International Disaster Reduction Conference, From 27 August to 1 September, UNESCO is co-organizing an International Disaster Reduction Conference in Davos (Switzerland), together with the Joint Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Global Disaster Information Network and UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. You are invited to join this global gathering of risk management professionals and leading experts from science, government, business, civil society, international organizations and NGOs. The First Announcement and Call for Abstracts, as well as additional information, are available at the conference website at: http://www.davos2006.ch