Conference

Organisation

I have been leading key international academic conferences in my field of expertise and set up the International Conference on Building Resilience series with colleagues. When we first started the International Conference on Building Resilience series in 2008, the theme was around physical reconstruction, in particular learning lessons from recovery after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which had devastated parts of the host country, Sri Lanka. Since then, the conference has moved around the world, from the United Kingdom, to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Portugal, and Indonesia. Since its inception and at the heart of the conference has also been the desire to strengthen the relationship between science, policy and action. The number of participants from non-academic stakeholders has significantly increased over the past decade. To me, well-run conferences are fun, memorable, streamlined, and purposeful.

  • Workshop lead/facilitator, How prepared are you?:  Disaster Risk Reduction and Business Continuity Planning, March 2022 – Dilanthi Amaratunga and Sahvindree Nissanka

    The main objective of this session is to create dialog on the development and implementation strategies by integrating multi-hazard business continuity management to reduce the losses caused by natural and other hazards.   Aspects of this process, notably the need to under­stand and prioritise key sources of business risk, is a useful starting point for more strategic approaches to risk management that balance reactive and preventative approaches to risk management. This session was organised by the  Group Business Development & Sustainability, Aitken Spence  Corporate Finance, Sri Lanka

  • Lead Facilitator of the Validation Workshop entitled: Improving covid-19 and pandemic preparedness through the downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems, held in Sri Lanka, 31st March 2022.

    Organised by University of Colombo and the Improving covid-19 and pandemic preparedness through the downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems project consortium

  • Facilitators of the workshop, FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AS A STRATEGY TO PROMOTE DISASTER RESILIENCE OF THE HOUSING SECTOR, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), Sri Lanka, 19th April 2022  – Dilanthi Amaratunga & Shavindree Nissanka

    The intervention was on :” Disaster resilience of the housing sector and incentives as an  enabler: Global perspective”. NBRO is the designated national focal point for landslide risk management in Sri Lanka. National Building Research Organisation is a leading research & development institution in the country and a reputed technical services provider in the fields of geotechnical engineering, landslide risk management, human settlements planning, environmental monitoring, building materials research, and engineering project management. NBRO functions under the purview of Ministry of Defence.

  • Programme Organiser, Pre conference  session on EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN DENGUE SCENARIO- BASED TRAINING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH MIDWIVES Kandy, 25th February 2022 – Dilanthi Amaratunga, Richard Haigh & Thushara Kamalrathne

    This programme focused  on enhancing the skills of Public Health Midwives (PHM) on community empowerment through effective communication in Dengue. Essentials of community empowerment, risk communication and health promotion in Dengue will be discussed, using scenario based interactive sessions. Supervising Public Health Midwives (SPHM) and PHM of Kandy and Kegalle districts will participate for the programme.

  • Programme Organiser, Pre conference  session on EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN DENGUE SCENARIO- BASED TRAINING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH MIDWIVES Kandy, 25th February 2022 – Dilanthi Amaratunga, Richard Haigh & Thushara Kamalrathne

    This programme focused  on enhancing the skills of Public Health Midwives (PHM) on community empowerment through effective communication in Dengue. Essentials of community empowerment, risk communication and health promotion in Dengue will be discussed, using scenario based interactive sessions. Supervising Public Health Midwives (SPHM) and PHM of Kandy and Kegalle districts will participate for the programme.

  • Facilitators of the Public engagement on Incorporating citizens perspective on pandemic preparedness and response amidst a multi hazard situation in Sri Lanka, 24 – 26 March 2022 – Dilanthi Amaratunga, Thushara Kamalrathne & Shavindree Nissanka  

A scenario based training on multi/compund  hazard scenarios for grass root level first responders, orgnaised by Minsitr yof Health Sri Lanka, incorporating two most kown models to communicate and understand the risk, namely, ‘Health Belief Model’and ‘Disaster Equation’.  Event was held in Jaffna, Nothern Province of Sri Lanka.

  • Conference Co chairs, International Research and Innovation Symposium on Dengue amidst the pandemic: Improving preparedness and response for multi-hazard scenarios – 2022; 16-17 March 2022, Colombo, Sri Lanka – Dilanthi Amaratunga & Richard Haigh

    Main aim of this event has  been to discuss and debate on impact of COVID-19 pandemic and other communicable diseases, such as dengue and malaria, and their role as part of overall multi hazard scenarios, integrating both natural biological hazards. This international event was organised by  the  Project consortium of the UKRI/EPSRC funded research collaboration: Improving COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness and response through the downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems, led by University of Huddersfield, UK; Ministry of Health Sri Lanka (National Dengue Control Unit, Anti Malaria Campaign, Disaster Preparedness & Response Division); and National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka
  • Symposium co-chair International Symposium on Rebuilding after Displacement

This high-level, international symposium encouraged debate and discussion on how a holistic approach to the built environment can help address some of the challenges and provide effective policies and methods of rebuilding communities, as well as integrating newcomers, after forced displacement. It promoted sharing knowledge among the research community and practitioners in the field and encourage multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral interaction. The symposium was organised by the project consortium of REGARD, a European Commission funded project: Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, UK; LUND University, Sweden; University of Central Lancashire, UK; Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia; and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Organised by: Lund University Sweden; University of Huddersfield, UK; UCLAN, UK; TAL TECK Estonia; University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Dates: 13th -14th December 2021

  • International conference on Geography and Global Sustainability

Share knowledge with a global audience on themes including biodiversity and eco systems services, climate change, mitigation and adaptation, disaster resilience in sustainable development, geographies of health and pandemic preparedness, urban geography and modern urban trends

Organised by: Department of Geography, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Dates: 9th – 10th December 2021

Role: Conference partner

  • “Learn, Share, Actions” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: “International Cooperation for Tsunami Warning and Mitigation”, in commemorating the “World Tsunami Awareness Day 2021”

The United Nations, through UN Resolution 70/203 adopted on 22 December 2015, has designated November 5th as the World tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD). In 2021, WTAD is an opportunity to advocate for reducing tsunami risk in Sri Lanka in the context of the “Safe Ocean” outcome of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and the promotion of International Cooperation, the chosen target F for this year’s edition of the Sendai Seven Campaign.

Organised by: Disaster Management Centre, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Dates: 8th November 2021

Role: conference partner

  • COVID 19 and Systemic Risks

    Focused on “International cooperation for developing countries to reduce their disaster risks and disaster losses”, aiming at driving accelerated and scaled-up action to reduce disaster risk through international coordination and partnership.
    Organised by: Disaster Management Centre, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka
    Dates: 13th October 2021
    Role: conference co- organiser

  • Partner, 2ndInternational Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development” (DRSD-2021), Asian Institute of Technology Thailand, 24 – 25 June 2021.
  • The 12thInternational Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management 2021, Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy, Sri Lanka from 02nd to 05th December 2021
  • Steering committee member, National Conference on “COVID 19: Impact, Mitigation, Opportunities and Building Resilience”: “From Adversity to Serendipity”, January, 27-28, 2021. National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka
  • International organising committee, The 11th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management 2021, Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy, Sri Lanka, December 2020
  • Conference co-chair, International Symposium on Tsunami and Multi Hazard Risks, Early Warning and Community Awarenessin supporting the implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 – To promote and support the availability and application of research, science and technology to Policy, Practice and decision-making in Disaster Risk Reduction, 16th to 18th December 2020, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • Conference organiser, 9th International Conference on Building Resilience, Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Building Resilient Cities, In association with the 3rd ITB Centennial International Conference on Disaster Management-P100 IC 03, 13 – 15 January 2020, Shangri-La Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (https://icbr09itb100.itb.ac.id)
  • Partner, “International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development”  7-8 March, 2019, AIT, THAILAND
  • Partner, International conference on Transforming knowledge into action: Towards sustainable development in emerging economies, 12th -14th December 2019, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Dilanthi Amaratunga, Prof. Richard Haigh & Georgina Clegg ASCENT festival – International Conference on Capacity Building for Research & Innovation in Disaster Resilience, 14 – 18 January 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka. International conference with 300+ participants representing academia, research, policy, practice and the third sector
  • Co-organiser of the 8TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUILDING RESILIENCE, “Risk and Resilience in practice: Vulnerabilities, Displaced People, Local Communities and Heritages, held from November 14-16, 2018, in Lisbon, Portugal. There were 320 scientific papers with 340 registered delegates and ICBR 2018 was a largest academic conference held in 2018 in the disaster resilience and management discipline
  • CABARET conference on multi hazard early warning, University of Yangon, Myanmar, 22 – 28 September 2018. 57 academics from 9 universities attended the week-long event. Project Manager: Prof. Richard Haigh, COI: Prof. Dilanthi Amaratunga
  • Conference Co-chair, CABARET International conference on Multi-Hazard Early Warning, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, March 2018. (with Richard Haigh & Ranjith Dissanayake)
  • Conference Co-chair, ASCENT international conference on Capacity for the development of societal resilience to disasters, Chiang Mai University, Thailand (with Liwa Pardthaisong and Richard Haigh)
  • Coordinator, international research workshop on: LOCALISING STRATEGIES FOR MAKING CITIES RESILIENT TO DISASTERS, 22th January 2018 to 26th January 2018, Manila, Philippines. 58 scientists from the UK and the Philippines took part at the event (with Richard Haigh)
  • Academic Staff exchange in disaster Resilience . 16 senior academics from 5 universities in Sri Lanka (University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka; University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; South Eastern University, Sri Lanka) were hosted by Global Disaster Resilience Centre for two weeks from 10th September to 24th September, funded by the  European Commission, Erasmus + ICM scheme. This initiative was led by Chamindi Malalgoda and supported by  Dilanthi Amaratunga & Richard Haigh (Coi)
  • International Coordinator, Localising Strategies for Making Cities Resilient to Disasters, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines & University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom, January 2018.
  • Appointed by Royal Academy of Engineering as the Chair of RCUK GCRF funded Inclusive Prosperity and Wellbeing in the Context of Mass Displacement International Frontiers of Development Symposium held in  Kigali, Rwanda.  February 2018.
  • Conference Co-Chair. 7th International Conference on Building Resilience – Using scientific knowledge to inform policy and practice in disaster risk reduction and management (http://www.buildresilience.org/2017/), 27-29 November 2017, Bangkok, Thailand. 325+ experts participated at this international conference
  • Conference Co-chair, ASCENT international conference on Capacity for the development of societal resilience to disasters, Naresuan University, Thailand (with Sarintip Tantanee and Richard Haigh)
  • Conference Co-chair, ASCENT international conference on Capacity for the development of societal resilience to disasters, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, February 2017.
  • Conference Co-chair, CABARET International conference on Multi Hazard Early Warning, Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 2017.
  • Co-organiser, Global platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 22 – 26 May 2017, Cancun, Mexico. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (Global Platform), as recognized by the UN General Assembly, is the main forum at the global level for strategic advice, coordination, partnership development and the review of progress in the implementation of international instruments on disaster risk reduction.
  • Member of the organising committee, Global platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 22 – 26 May 2017, Cancun, Mexico. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (Global Platform), as recognized by the UN General Assembly, is the main forum at the global level for strategic advice, coordination, partnership development and the review of progress in the implementation of international instruments on disaster risk reduction.
  • Conference Co-Chair, CADRE International Workshop Mainstreaming disaster resilience within the construction process: Local Government Perspectives, University of Huddersfield, UK, January 2017.
  • Conference co-organsier. The 6th International Building Resilience Conference 2016 with the theme “Building Resilience to Address the Unexpected” is organised jointly by the Construction Management Groups at Massey University and the University of Auckland and Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, UK, Auckland, New Zealand 7-9th of September, 2016
  • Conference Co-chair, ASCENT international conference on Inter institutional capacity development, University of Huddersfield October 2016. Oct 2016
  • International conference committee, 12th International Conference of the International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction (IIIRR) with the theme: “Disaster mitigation and resilience enhancement”, 5th – 7th August 2016, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. (http://www.iiirr.org/iiirr/conference/index.html ). The International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction (IIIRR)is a multi-university international consortium which provides overall leadership in research, education, planning, design and implementation for natural disaster related mitigation, resilience enhancement, and reconstruction projects.
  • Co-organiser, Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR 2016 (AMCDRR), held from 02 – 05 November 2016 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, India. This first Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction after the advent of the Sendai Framework was hosted by the Government of India in November 2016 under the theme “Risk Sensitive Development for Community Resilience” and was organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with UNISDR and with the support from International and National Development Partners.
  • Partner, UNISDR Science and Technology Conference. An organising partner of the UNISDR Science and Technology Conference on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 to be held from 27-29 January 2016, Geneva, Switzerland. The conference aims to bring together the full diversity of the science and technology community, policy makers, practitioners and researchers from all geographical regions, at local, national, regional and international levels to discuss how the science and technology community will best support the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
  • Partner of the E Conference on Landside risk reduction – Model Policy frameworks, Standards and Guidelines on Landslide Disaster Reduction. World Centre of Excellence on Landslide Disaster Reduction, Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau and the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment in Sri Lanka. 2015
  • Conference Co-chair, Ensuring Accountability in Disaster Risk Management and Reconstruction, University of Colombo and University of Huddersfield, December 2015
  • Event co-chair , Development of Disaster Resilient Coastal Communities to Enhance Economic Development and Social Welfare, Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom & Research Center for Disaster Mitigation, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia, November  2015 
  • Conference c-chair, Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Built Environment Education: Celebrating Project Successes University of Huddersfield, September
  • Conference Co-organsier, Symposium on Enhancing Resilience of Critical Road Structures: Bridges, Culverts and Flood Ways, July 2015, RMIT, Australia. This symposium was held in association with “Enhancing resilience of critical road infrastructure: bridges, culverts and flood ways” project, led by RMIT, Australia, which is funded by Bush fire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC), Disaster Resilience Australia.  
  • Conference organizer, 5th TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUILDING RESILIENCE, EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF RESILIENCE AS A USEFUL FRAMEWORK OF ANALYSIS FOR HOW SOCIETY CAN COPE WITH THE THREAT OF NATURAL AND HUMAN INDUCED HAZARDS, NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA, 15TH-17TH JULY 2015
  • A key partner of the E Conference on Landside risk reduction – Model Policy frameworks, Standards and Guidelines on Landslide Disaster Reduction. The event is being organized by the World Centre of Excellence on Landslide Disaster Reduction, Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau and the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment in Sri Lanka.
  • Conference Organising partner, the future we want; Safer Sri Lanka; Disaster Management Conference; 24-26 September, 2014 – BMICH, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. Organised by Ministry of Disaster Management, Disaster management Centre, Department of Meteorology, National Building Research Organization
  • Conference co-chair, Tsunami Recovery in Sri Lanka: Ten Years On, 5th December 2014, Galle Face 6 Conference Hall, Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka Organized by SPARC, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, UK; University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
  • Conference co-chair, 4th International Conference on Building Resilience, Incorporating the 3rd Annual Meeting of the ANDROID Disaster Resilience Network, 8th – 11th September 2014, Salford Quays, United Kingdom
  • Member of the organising committee, International Conference on Structural Engineering, Construction and Management, Kandy, Sri Lanka, organised by the Universities of Peradeniya and Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and University of Melbourne, Australia, 16 – 18 December 2011
  • Conference chair, International Conference on Building Resilience : Interdisciplinary approaches to disaster risk reduction, and the development of sustainable communities and cities, Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka, 19th – 21st July 2011
  • International Scientific Committee Member, International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment (ICSBE), 13th and 14th December 2010, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya and Earl’s Regency, Kandy, Sri Lanka
  • Leader, Disaster Management theme, RICS Construction, Building and Real Estate International Research conference (COBRA 2010), September 2010, Paris, France. 
  • Deputy Chairman of the organising committee, CIB World Congress 2010, Salford Quays, UK.
  • Chairman of the organising committee, World Congress – Post Graduate research conference of CIB TG53, CIB World Congress 2010, Salford Quays, UK.
  • Member of the conference organising committee, International Institute for Infrastructure Renewal & Reconstruction international conference, University of Hawaii, USA. (September 2010)
  • Member of the conference organising committee. Construction Research Congress 2010. Innovation for reshaping construction practice, May 2010, University of Alberta, Canada.
  • Member of the international organising committee, International conference on social development and transition: Paths for global-local partnerships, International consortium for social development: The Asia-Pacific branch, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2008.
  • Conference chair, BUILDING RESILIENCE, CIB W89 International Conference on Building Education and Research, in conjunction with CIB, W113, CIB TG53, CIB TG63, CIB TG67, CIB TG68, and CIB TG69, Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka, February 2008.
  • Co-chairman of the International Organising Committee. CIB W89International Conference on Building Education and Research to be held in Sri Lanka in February 2008
  • Co-chairman of the 7th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and Human Environment conferences, Salford Quays, Salford: UK. 2007.
  • Chairman of Organising Committee for 7th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu), 27th – 29th March 2007
  • Chairman of Organising Committee for 6th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu) and Delft University of Technology and TNO, Delft, The Netherlands, 6th – 7th April 2006
  • Conference co-chair, 6th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu) and Delft University of Technology and TNO, Delft, The Netherlands, 6th – 7th April 2006
  • Chairman of Organising Committee for 5th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu) 13th – 15th April 2005
  • Chairman of Organising Committee for 4th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu) 1st – 2nd April 2004
  • Chairman of the International Scientific committee for 4th International Postgraduate Research Conference in the Built and human Environment, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BuHu) 1st – 2nd April 2004
  • Member of the organising committee, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) annual international building and construction research conference (COBRA), University of Salford, 1999.
  • Deputy Chairman. Forum on “Creating an Awareness in the Construction Industry of the Quantity Surveying Profession in Sri Lanka”. Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. 1990.
Forum on “Creating an Awareness in the Construction Industry of the Quantity Surveying Profession in Sri Lanka”, in 1990

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