UCLG & Global Taskforce

Local and regional governments face the direct impact that flooding, forest fires or extreme meteorological events have on their territories. To support the initiatives that they can lead to prevent and face such disasters, our global organisation UCLG and the United Nations Office for Disaster risk reduction (UNISDR) launch a global contest, allowing the exchange of good practices and put forward the best of them. The jury will assess the candidates following 6 main criteria:
 

• Present actual evidence of changes
• Act ahead, in accordance with sustainable development objectives
• Tackle uncertainty
• Manage sustainable resources
• Involve stakeholder from various disciplines and sectors
• Listening to new voices to improve the investments

 
The winner will be granted a $50 000 award and receive a Certificate of Distinction and a Certificate of Merit delivered by the United Nations.
 
Who can apply?
 
All local government leading initiatives to map the risks their territories are exposed to and work towards more resilient territories. The candidates will have to compete with other stakeholders such as civil society organisations, research centres and insurance companies among others.
 
Why to apply?
 
By taking part to this contest, you will get a chance to:
 

• Increase your visibility worldwide and assert yourself as a leader in the domain of disaster risk reduction;
• Exchange good practices and share your knowledge with other local government from all over the world;
• Get to meet new partners among the other contestants, such as academics, private companies and NGOs;
• Help affirming the major role of local government in disaster risk reduction in this period of elaboration of the future post-2015 development agenda.

 
How to apply?
 
Fill the application pack (in English, French or Spanish) and send it to the Secretariat of UNISDR. Tips and all the information you need about the application process are available on the website of the Sasakawa Award.
 
Applications are open until Friday 31 October.
 
What’s next?
 
February 2015: announcement of the short-listed projects
 
17 March 2015: Announcement of the winner at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai (Japan). This conference should also see the adoption of the future framework for disaster risk reduction.
 
 
To know more about the Sasakawa award, you can follow the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction on Twitter or on Facebook, or watch examples of successful projects led throughout the world on YouTube.
 
* Candidate local government from CEMR member associations are invited to inform CEMR’s Secretariat about their application.