The United Nations University (UNU) and the University of Tokyo’s International Center for Disaster-Mitigation Engineering (INCEDE) are organizing a conference titled the International Symposium on Information Technology Tools for Natural Disaster Risk Management. The symposium will be held in Bangkok at the Asian Institute of Technology from 4 to 6 February 1998.

The purpose of the three-day symposium is to have scientists who are using advanced information technologies in their research share what they have learned with others. Information technology is now routinely used to gather and disseminate data on what is happening with the earth and its environment. This information can help scientists predict, and thereby manage, many of the risks that are often associated with natural disasters. This symposium will focus primarily on the kinds of disasters most likely to occur in Asian countries. Presentations will be given on new developments in the following areas: geographical information systems, remote sensing technology, global positioning systems, communications technologies and database management.

The United Nations has designated the 1990’s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. The UNU and INCEDE hope that extensive research on natural disasters will help reduce worldwide the loss of life, property and social disruption that they cause.

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For more information, please visit the UNU’s homepage at: http://archive.unu.edu/env/. Additional information is also available by contacting the UNU Public Affairs Section at:

Tel.: (03) 5467-1243, -1246

Fax: (03) 3406-7346

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