New €100,000 Risk Award announced at close of 4th Global Platform

GENEVA, 23 May 2013 - Details were announced today of the 2014 RISK Award -- "Disaster Emergency -- Resilience for the Most Vulnerable" and a call was made for applications for the Award which includes a grant of €100,000 for a project in disaster emergency planning which focuses on the most vulnerable. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2013.

The Risk Award is a partnership between the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Global Risk Forum Davos and the Munich Re Foundation. It is the second time the Award is to be given and the call for entries was issued today during the closing ceremony of the 4th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Welcoming the announcement, UNISDR Director, Elizabeth Longworth, said: "In the event of an emergency it is important that early warning systems work well and that nobody is forgotten in the planning process. This Award focuses on ensuring that planning takes into account everyone and that nobody is overlooked because of their social or economic status or because of any factors to do with gender, language, race, religion or disability."

Thomas Loster, chairman of the Munich Re Foundation emphasised: "Disaster risk management will only succeed if we manage to reach the most vulnerable at the last mile. They are the ones who are hit the worst."

Walter J. Amman, President of the Global Risk Forum Davos, said: "The most vulnerable people are the first hit, yet the last who get support. It is urgent to empower them to better protect themselves."

The RISK Award is dedicated to operational projects improving disaster risk management and prevention. The 2012 RISK Award titled "Early Warning in Urban Areas" -- inspired by UNISDR's Making Cities Resilient Campaign - went to an early flood warning project implemented in the Mozambican city of Beira.