The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), in collaboration with UNESCO, successfully conducted the Introductory Session of the project ‘Implementation of the UNESCO Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan (DPRP) Model for Media in South and South East Asia’ today for particpating media outlets from.seven countries namely India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines.

The session marked an important step in strengthening media resilience and enhancing the role of broadcasters in climate action, disaster risk reduction, and emergency communication. Participants explored the growing responsibilities of media organizations in times of crises, particularly in delivering accurate, timely, and life-saving information to the public.

Opening the session Nargiza Numanova, the Head of ABU SG’s Office, highlighted the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters and the critical role trusted media institutions play in supporting preparedness, public awareness, and community resilience. She emphasized that media organizations today are not only reporting disasters, but are also becoming essential partners in risk communication and public safety.

The project leader from UNESCO Xu Jing introduced the ABU–UNESCO Model Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan (DPRP) for Media Institutions, designed to support broadcasters in strengthening operational continuity, newsroom coordination, staff safety, emergency communication protocols, and collaboration with authorities during disasters and emergencies.

Participants also discussed with the porject technical advisor Mr Atiq Kainan the key challenges faced by media organizations during crises, including misinformation management, verification of information, operational disruptions, and the need to effectively reach vulnerable and last-mile communities.

The introductory session further outlined the next phase of the project, which includes regional capacity-building workshops, institutional adaptation of the DPRP framework, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and practical implementation support for participating media organizations.

ABU and UNESCO reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening resilient, inclusive, and responsible media systems capable of supporting communities before, during, and after disasters.

The initiative forms part of the broader ABU–UNESCO collaboration on climate communication, disaster risk reduction, media resilience, and Media and Information Literacy (MIL) across the Asia-Pacific region.