ExtResponsibilities – Dilanthi Amaratunga

Current and previous external responsibilities

Expert member, ICG/IOTWMS WG-1 on Tsunami Risk, Community Awareness & Preparedness. IOC-UNESCO, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS). The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), established in 1960 as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO, is the only competent organization for marine science within the UN system. Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) Member List including all Indian Ocean surrounding 28 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, British Indian Ocean Territory, Comoros, Djibouti, France – Reunion, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 2018- to date
Joint Editor in Chief, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment.
Published by Emerald Publishing, UK, the journal, indexed in SCOUPS and ISI Web of Science™ Core Collection, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and published by Emerald Publishing, UK, is the only journal in the field to promote research and scholarly activity that examines the role of building and construction to anticipate and respond to disasters that damage or destroy the built environment (http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/ijdrbe.htm). 2009 – to date

Appointed lead, IOC UNESCO IOTWMS Survey to better understand local responses in tsunami warning services, evacuation, and sheltering to COVID-19 in Sri Lanka – The survey also looked to understand local level uptake of the guidelines which were issued by the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS). The survey was launched in recognition of the COVID-19 response having resulted in a shift of priorities, alterations in work patterns, processes and venues, the introduction of physical distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine measures, as well as temporary lockdowns of entire communities. This has the potential to create ambiguity or confusion with regards to tsunami warning services and response actions like evacuation, under co- existing COVID-19 protocols. The study targeted the fourteen of Sri Lanka’s twenty-five districts that are located on the coastal belt, and potentially exposed to a tsunami threat. The survey was designed and conducted by GDRC in conjunction with ICG/IOTWMS Working Group 1 Tsunami Risk, Community Awareness and Preparedness, the Institute of Technology Bandung, Indonesia, and Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka. 2020 – 2022
Invited Member of the Task Force on “Resilience in the Construction Industry”, Global Leadership Forum for Construction Engineering and Management Programmes (GLF-CEM) – GLF-CEM brings together professors from leading universities around the world who play a leadership and/or administrator role in their respective programs. The objective of this forum is to establish a body of academic leadership in the area of Construction Engineering and Management to discuss and share issues of common concern in Research, Teaching, Academic Administration, and Opportunities for Collaboration. It explores and defines: what do we mean by Resilience in the Construction Industry; Do we have a common understanding and acceptance of the word with respect to the construction industry?; What capacities/ strategies would be required in the construction industry to be more resilient under such circumstance?; What is the role of academic institutions in improving the resilience of the construction industry. 2022 – to date
Appointed Expert (one of the two from the UK) of UN Women – Women’s Resilience to Disasters Programme – UN Women, The Women’s Resilience to Disasters (WRD) programme proposes a comprehensive package to strengthen women’s resilience to disasters and threats, including climate change and COVID-19. It advances women leadership and gender-responsiveness in global disaster risk reduction and climate change processes and frameworks. It strengthens coordination across key stakeholders working to build the enabling environment for women’s resilience to disasters. 2023 to date
Appointed member of the MCR2030 Regional Coordination Committee for Europe, UNDRR Regional Office for Europe would like to invite you to join. Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) is an initiative led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and its partners to support cities in taking action to reduce disaster risk in alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Launched in October 2020 and operational in January 2021, MCR2030 emerges from a decade long of advocacy and capacity building work that reached more than 4,000 cities across the globe within the network of the Making Cities Resilient Campaign. Through its Regional Coordination Committee (RCC-Europe), MCR2030 brings together key regional partners and selected city representatives, responsible for coordinating and ensuring synergies among regional partners in providing technical support to cities to empower them to progress along with the resilience roadmap. 2020 – to date
Appointment to the Advisory Council of Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) – Advisory Council engages eminent individuals in DRR and CR to provide advice to ADPC in support of its strategy, policy and activities. This includes identification of future priorities and opportunities to be pursued by the Center, and the development of clear plans of action to address these priorities and opportunities, integrating activity across thematic areas and cross cutting issues. In so doing, the advisory council will advise on the partnership (member countries, development partners and other stakeholders), required to implement ADPC’s program and projects in accordance with its strategy. The Advisory Council identifies disaster-related needs of countries and communities throughout the region and to provide strategic guidance in support of ADPC’s institutional growth. Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is an autonomous international organisation for cooperation in and implementation of disaster risk reduction and building climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. As of January 2020, ADPC is operating as an autonomous international organisation governed by the Board of Trustees. (https://www.adpc.net/igo/Default.asp) 2024 to date
Steering Committee Member of the UK Alliance for Disaster Research (UKADR) – UKADR seeks to foster innovative interdisciplinary research, as well as professional applied research structures to be able to predict or respond to slow and rapid onset hazards with relevant scientific advice The primary motivation for the UK Alliance for Disaster Research (UKADR) is to bring together the UK’s rich and diverse disaster research community, to facilitate collaboration and partnership in order to aid representation of the research community at government level in the UK and to facilitate where appropriate the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. UKADR aims to support excellence in science and enhance opportunity for impact on policy and practice by acting as: An alliance of the research and academic disaster research community to facilitate collaboration and partnership across the UK; An advocate of UK science to UK Government; A contact point for UK Government seeking the best UK science input; A mechanism for UK Government to communicate emerging needs to the UK science community. 2022 – to date
Member of the European Commission’s European Science & Technology Advisory Group (E-STAG), Joint Research Center (JRC) and UNISDR. The principal goal of the European Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (E-STAG) is to provide scientific and technical support to the 56 European and Central Asian countries for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR, and other DRR related relevant frameworks or policies in the EU. 2017 – to date
Principal Liaison Point – UK, of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Sri Lanka Initiative on “Constructive Engagement and Building Mutually Rewarding Partnerships with Sri Lankan Expatriates in the UK” – Universities in Sri Lanka face a variety of challenges in increasing their research capacity, knowledge production and preparing future generations of scholars. Easy communication, quick travel, and greater collaborations between developed and developing countries are increasingly more common and we need to develop ways in which UK based professionals can contribute to their country of origin, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka can gain considerable advantage by harnessing the talents and resources of Sri Lankan Expatriates in the UK (SLUK), which have grown significantly in size and scope. 2022 – to date
A Steering Committee Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering with specific input to the Frontiers of Development programme – Appointed as a Steering Committee Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering with specific input to the Frontiers of Development programme, which is a programme across the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Academy of Medical Sciences, The British Academy and The Royal Society. It is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund that supports cutting-edge research to address the challenges faced by developing countries. Frontiers connects and empowers enthusiastic researchers, innovators and practitioners from the UK and around the world to work together on new ways to solve complex global challenges. By stimulating collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking, it aims to catalyse creative solutions that deliver impact and build a lasting global community, equipped to achieve a sustainable and inclusive society. 2018 – to date
A member of the Advisory Board of the Federation of Local Governments Authorities Sri Lanka (FSLGA) – A member of the Advisory Board of the Federation of Local Governments Authorities Sri Lanka (FSLGA) for the period 2018-2022 new term of the local council, to ensure strategic direction and guidance needed ahead. The Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA) is the umbrella organisation for all 346 local government associations in Sri Lanka. 2020 – to date
Expert Member, GAR Special Report 2024 – Extreme Weather and the New Abnormal: Learning from the past for a more resilient future, UNDRR – How to build resilience to increasingly frequent and extreme events, particularly in the context of cascading impacts and interconnected poly-crises, is a key global challenge for all countries, and especially for those with pre-existing high levels of hazard exposure and vulnerability. GAR SR 2024 aims to learn from the past to inform the future. Applying a simplified ‘disaster forensics’ approach to recent major events, it will unpack key elements in hazard, vulnerability and exposure and the capacity of people and governance systems that contributed to increasing or decreasing impacts in a number of recent major disasters. 2023 – to date
Member of the Agenda Development Expert Review Group – Development of the Framework for Global Science in Support of Risk-informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health. Prepared by the DRR Research Agenda Core Group; sponsored by the Integrated Research for Disaster Risk programme, International Science Council and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. This document takes stock of recent developments in disaster risk science and provides a compelling set of directions for research and scientific collaboration for a more holistic and collaborative approach to understanding and managing risks. It challenges silos in science and in society and the notion that social, ecological, economic and technological systems can be understood in isolation from one another, and advocates for an increased focus on people. 2022 – to date
Visiting Professor, Andalas University, Padang, Indonesia – Andalas is one of the major public institutions of higher learning in Indonesia, and the oldest outside the island of Java. The university is known for its excellence in social sciences and medical program, and has produced numerous distinguished alumni in public and private service. In November 2019, Andalas was ranked fourth best Indonesian research university from a nationwide evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Research and Technology. 2020 – to date
Working Group member, MCR2030 – RCC thematic semesters Risk Financing Working Group on Financing a Transition towards Climate Resilience”, UNDRR – Exchange of experiences from cities, financial service providers and investors and stakeholders on the implementation of disaster resilience plans and projects. Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative: Challenges and opportunities in mobilising funding for building resilience to shared and contextual challenges of cities in the region. Practical solutions for project development and implementation. 2023 – 2024
Scientific Advisory Committee, Resilience and Sustainability Summit: Vision 2047 – Science-Policy-Planning-Implementation Interface for DRR in Changing Climate, Focusing on Good Practices and Case Studies on Disaster Risk Reduction, 17th – 19th January 2023. Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, India, organised by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) India, and the Government of India. This was a multi-ministerial initiative and the summit was attended by high level National and International experts besides senior governmental officials. The outcome of the project will lead to the strategic long-term vision and roadmap looking at 100 years of India’s Independence i.e. Vision 2047. 2023 – 2024
International expert on : “Gender Review: Strengthening public governance approaches and capacities to advance gender equality in Colombia” – As part of “Fostering Institutional Efficiency and Public-Governance Effectiveness in Colombia as Strategic Enablers to sustain Inclusive Growth and bring Colombia closer to the OECD”, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development”. To assess public governance approaches and capacities to advance gender equality outcomes in Colombia, and to promote a recovery pathway from Covid-19 that enables economic and social empowerment of women from diverse backgrounds in Colombia. March 2022 – 2023
Member of the Advisory Committee of the Association of Disaster Risk Management Professionals (ADRiMP) of Sri Lanka. – The ADRiMP will work towards nurturing a culture of safety in Sri Lanka from the impact of disasters and climate change and will provide policy advice and facilitate capacity building services including strategic learning, research, training, system development, expertise promotion and exchange of information for effective disaster risk reduction. 2018 – 2022
Member, Expert Group on Principles for Resilient Infrastructure – UNDRR, University College London and the Institution of Civil Engineers. The Principles for Resilient Infrastructure are being developed to: Assist in raising awareness and setting a common basic understanding of what “resilient infrastructure” constitutes; Form the basis for planning and implementation of infrastructure projects that take resilience as a core value; Communicate the desired outcomes of national infrastructure systems to establish resilience of critical services; and, Assist the public and private sectors in making risk-informed policy and investment decisions. The purpose of the Expert Group is to solicit input and feedback from experts on: What are the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure? ; Applicability by Sector and Holistically ; Net Resilience Gain and Resilient Infrastructure KPIs; and the need for standards. There will also be a handbook that will be developed that will allow designated Ministries in National Governments, Infrastructure Regulators, Investors and other stakeholder to implement these principles and monitor its inclusion 2020- 2023
Member of the ISC-UNDRR Expert Review Group (ERG) for the Development of a New Global Disaster Risk Reduction Research Agenda Towards 2030 and beyond – ERG members are expected to provide their views, insights, suggestions, written contributions, and recommendations for the Research Agenda, and in particular, to help to identify critical research gaps, strategic directions and areas of cooperation between scientific communities and between science, policy and other stakeholder groups. In doing so, ERG members are expected to provide their views, insights, suggestions and recommendations for the Research Agenda, and in particular, to help to identify critical research gaps, strategic directions and areas of cooperation between scientific communities and between science, policy and other stakeholder groups. I was representing the European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC) and UNDRR European Science & Technology Advisory Group (E-STAG) at the ERG. 2020 – 2021
Expert Member of the International Consultation on the Global Best Practices in Gender Balance Toolkit – Organised by the OECD, in consultation with the UAE Gender Balance Council and Global Council for Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), who is developing a ‘Global Best Practices for Gender Balance Toolkit’. The Toolkit will profile successful gender balance policies, legislation, and initiatives across core areas, to support government and institutions around the world to advance women’s multi-dimensional empowerment. This consultation brought together approximatively 20 technical gender experts from around the world with the objective of sharing practical country examples and advise on the practical application of this section of the Toolkit. 2020 – 2021
Advisory Member, Stress Testing Infrastructure Resilience in Sri Lanka – UNDRR, State Ministry of Rural Roads and other Infrastructure, Sri Lanka. Efforts towards enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure against hazards and the negative impacts of climate change, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is supporting member states in stress testing the resilience of critical infrastructure and its related services. The stress test will provide insights regarding the performance of critical infrastructure against various stressors, which will be followed by an assessment that provides specific policy recommendations. March 2022 – 2023
Member of the UNDRR Global Risk Assessment Framework Working Group (GRAF) on Risk Communication – The Global Risk Assessment Framework (GRAF) aims to help UNDRR’s partners enhance their understanding of the changing nature of risk in order to scale-up and accelerate solutions for resilience. GRAF offers solutions to realize the 2030 goal of the Sendai Framework and the outcome of risk-informed sustainable development. GRAF is unique in providing actionable options to address disaster vulnerability, exposure and risk. The GRAF will provide guidance on what concrete measures can be undertaken now to reduce risk in your country. It will connect individuals, communities, municipalities, sectors, countries and regions to the information that will enable them to make practical decisions. The GRAF is coordinated by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and is co-financed by the governments of the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany. As a global collaborative framework for developing, sharing and innovating in the use of risk information across hazards, disciplines, and geographic scales (i.e, global to local), the GRAF leverages existing institutions to build new partnerships that can better address the systemic nature of risk and its cascading effects. 2020 – 2022
Scientific Adviser on ‘Crisis Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Resilience’ – Nominated by the Network of European Academies of Science following a call for experts organised by Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) for a scoping workshop of the “Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) of the European Commission”, and subsequently was selected by the Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission to be part of the scoping workshop leading to scientific advice on ‘Crisis Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Resilience’. The GCSA provides high-level, independent scientific advice to the European Commission leadership (“President, Vice-Presidents and Commissioners”. 2022 – 2023
Member of the International Advisory Board, Initiative on Co-creating resilient future(s): setting agendas for inclusive disaster governance through bottom-up multi-level stakeholder engagement in the City of Zurich – to better understand the potentials of Social Work within Disaster governance, and to explore commonalities and differences of the City of Zurich case with other case studies within Disaster / Covid-19 governance. University of Lausanne , Switzerland, and Swiss national Foundation special Program Call on Covid-19 and Society. 2020 – 2022
Member of the Expert Panel : ‘High Level Policy Dialogue on Localizing Climate Resilience Agenda: 2050 and 2100 Visions” – Was appointed as a member of the Expert Panel on ‘High Level Policy Dialogue on Localizing Climate Resilience Agenda: 2050 and 2100 Visions” of India, September 2021. This high level dialogue was organised the National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. This forum provided an all-inclusive viewpoints and framework development for developing a futuristic climate localization agenda. 2020 – 2022
Member of the RICS Round Table on National Resilience Strategy (Representing Research and Universities) in Response to the UK Cabinet Office’s National Resilience Strategy, November 2021 – Core themes include Risk and Resilience, Responsibilities and Accountability, Partnerships, Community, Investment, and Resilience in an Interconnected World. The UK Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister to ensure the effective running of government and is the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and takes the lead in critical policy areas. 2021
Formally appointed international expert of IOC UNESCO ICG/IOTWMS inter-sessional Task Team on “Tsunami Preparedness for a Near-Field Tsunami Hazard” – The Task Team will work towards enhancing Tsunami preparedness for near-field tsunami hazard including improving end-to-end national warning chains learning from the recent tsunami events. The Task Team will report to the Steering Group and be composed of representatives from WG-1, WG-2, WG-NWIO, IOTIC, interested Member States and international experts with a Chair and Vice-Chair. 2018 – 2021
An international expert on “A Regional Assessment of DRM Institutions in the South Asia Region” with Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, a partnership with Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). We will engage with key stakeholders in each country as well as regional stakeholders such as UN agencies, civil society organisations, and bilateral and multilateral development partners. This is a World Bank initiative. 2019 –2022
Board of Advisors, Article 25. Article 25 is an architecture charity based in London.
International Expert, Ministry of Disaster Management, Sri Lanka
Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was established in 2005 as the lead agency on disaster risk management in Sri Lanka in implementing the directives of National Council of Disaster Management (NCDM).

Current external responsibilities

Steering committee member of the UK Alliance for Disaster Research (UKADR). UKADR seeks to foster innovative interdisciplinary research, as well as professional applied research structures to be able to predict or respond to slow and rapid onset hazards with relevant scientific advice.
Appointed member of the MCR2030 Regional Coordination Committee for Europe, UNDRR Regional Office for Europe would like to invite you to join. Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) is an initiative led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and its partners to support cities in taking action to reduce disaster risk in alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Launched in October 2020 and operational in January 2021, MCR2030 emerges from a decade long of advocacy and capacity building work that reached more than 4,000 cities across the globe within the network of the Making Cities Resilient Campaign. Through its Regional Coordination Committee (RCC-Europe), MCR2030 brings together key regional partners and selected city representatives, responsible for coordinating and ensuring synergies among regional partners in providing technical support to cities to empower them to progress along with the resilience roadmap.
Invited member of the UNDRR GRAF working group (Global Risk Assessment Framework Working Group on Risk Communication). 2020 –
Expert member, ICG/IOTWMS WG-1 on Tsunami Risk, Community Awareness & Preparedness. IOC-UNESCO, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS). The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), established in 1960 as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO, is the only competent organization for marine science within the UN system. Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) Member List including all Indian Ocean surrounding 28 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, British Indian Ocean Territory, Comoros, Djibouti, France – Reunion, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 2018-
Formally appointed international expert of IOC UNESCO ICG/IOTWMS inter-sessional Task Team on “Tsunami Preparedness for a Near-Field Tsunami Hazard”. The Task Team will work towards enhancing Tsunami preparedness for near-field tsunami hazard including improving end-to-end national warning chains learning from the recent tsunami events. The Task Team will report to the Steering Group and be composed of representatives from WG-1, WG-2, WG-NWIO, IOTIC, interested Member States and international experts with a Chair and Vice-Chair. 2018 –
An international expert on “A Regional Assessment of DRM Institutions in the South Asia Region” with Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, a partnership with Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). We will engage with key stakeholders in each country as well as regional stakeholders such as UN agencies, civil society organisations, and bilateral and multilateral development partners. This is a World Bank initiative. 2019 –to date
Appointed as a Steering Committee Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering with specific input to the frontiers of Development programme, from April 2019, which is a programme across the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Academy of Medical Sciences, The British Academy and The Royal Society. It is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund that supports cutting-edge research to address the challenges faced by developing countries.
Member of the European Commission’s European Science & Technology Advisory Group (E-STAG), Joint Research Center (JRC) and UNISDR. The principal goal of the European Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (E-STAG) is to provide scientific and technical support to the 56 European and Central Asian countries for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR, and other DRR related relevant frameworks or policies in the EU.
A member of the Advisory Board of the Federation of Local Governments Authorities Sri Lanka (FSLGA) for the period 2018-2022 new term of the local council, to ensure strategic direction and guidance needed ahead. The Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA) is the umbrella organisation for all 346 local government associations in Sri Lanka.
Member of the Advisory Committee of the Association of Disaster Risk Management Professionals (ADRiMP) of Sri Lanka. The ADRiMP will work towards nurturing a culture of safety in Sri Lanka from the impact of disasters and climate change and will provide policy advice and facilitate capacity building services including strategic learning, research, training, system development, expertise promotion and exchange of information for effective DRR
Joint Editor in Chief, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment. Published by Emerald Publishing, UK. The journal, indexed in SCOPUS and ISI Web of Science™Core Collection, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and published by Emerald Publishing, UK, is the only journal in the field to promote research and scholarly activity that examines the role of building and construction to anticipate and respond to disasters that damage or destroy the built environment (http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/ijdrbe.htm)
Global Working Group Co-Leader. Words into action – leading UNISDR (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) Words into Action Guidelines on Accountability within the context of disaster risk governance
Global Working Group Leader, Words into action – leading UNISDR (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) Words into Action Guidelines on Construction Practice and Policy.
Board of Advisors, Article 25. Article 25 is an architecture charity based in London.
Visiting Professor, UTM Razak School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia.
International Expert, Ministry of Disaster Management, Sri Lanka