A seminar highlighting the role of the community in natural calamitymitigation was held in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on October29.

The event saw the attendance of over 100 delegatesfrom the Red Cross Societies of Vietnam, Germany and Australia , alongwith representatives from CARE International in Vietnam , and peoplewith disabilities in An Giang and Kien Giang provinces.

Participantshighlighted the impacts of climate change on the Southeast Asiannation, especially on the delta, noting that poor local prevention inthe field has made the lives of children, the old and disabled verydifficult.

The community should understand theimportance of helping people with disabilities participate in the workof natural disaster mitigation, said Chairman of the An Giang Red CrossSociety Huynh Hoang Huy.

The delta is benefiting from anumber of policies designed by the State and international organisations. The provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang and Soc Trang are receivingassistance from the Australian Agency for International Development(AusAID), CARE International in Vietnam , and the German Red CrossSociety.

These organisations are implementing twoprojects in the field, aiming to support local children, women, the oldand disabled materially and spiritually, contributing to theimplementation of the Government Decision 1002/QD-TTg on “Raisingcommunity awareness and community-based disaster risk management”(CBDRM) issued on July 13, 2009.

Deputy Chairman of theAn Giang People’s Committee Ho Viet Hiep appealed for the wholecommunity to take care of and learn about the demand and ability ofvulnerable groups, especially disabled people in adapting to climatecahnge and mitigating natural disasters.-VNA