March 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: Government representatives from Sri Lanka and the Maldives, professionals working in the construction sector, members of Professional Institutes and Non Governmental Organisations met recently at a workshop in Colombo to discuss the localisation of the “Tools for the Assessment of School and Hospital Safety for Multi-Hazards in South Asia”. The ...

14 March 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: A training programme on “Disaster Management Information Systems” was held in Colombo recently for Local Authority Officials, and Urban Planners of Balangoda and Ratnapura cities. This training programme was a key output of the project ‘Disaster Resilient City Development Strategies for Sri Lankan Cities’ funded by the Government of ...

6 March 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Government of Japan is extending financial contribution amounting to 345 million Japanese Yen (approximately US$ 4 million) through the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for the “Project for Rehabilitation of Community Infrastructure and Facilities in the Conflict Affected Areas in Northern Province”. The signing of the Exchange ...

21 February 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: Senior Government Officials, Academics,  Members of Local Authorities, Officials of UN agencies and Non Governmental Organisations as well as School Children participated in the National Forum on “Climate Resilient Action Plans for Coastal Urban Areas” in Colombo recently. This Forum discussed key outcomes of the project “Climate Resilient Action ...

14 February 2013, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka:  The new housing recovery project “Improving Living Conditions in Returnee Areas of Sri Lanka through Housing” was officially launched at a ceremony in Iranapalai village in Puthukudirippu DS Division in Mullaitivu district recently. This housing project extends the existing partnership by UN-Habitat with the European Union (EU), Government of ...

January 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka.  A workshop on “Trends in Housing”, organized by UN-Habitat Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities, brought together 50  senior technical professionals from the leading national housing agencies in Sri Lanka.  The one day workshop, held at the Centre For Housing Planning ...

January 29, 2013, Killinochchi, Sri Lanka.  A delegation of Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) from Australia visited Piramanthanaru village in Killinochchi district recently. The visiting MPs included Hon. Julie Bishop, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Scott Morrison, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship as well as Productivity and Population and Mr. Michael Keenan, Shadow ...

January 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: UN-Habitat is extending its partnership with the European Union (EU), Government of Australia (AusAID) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to implement the second phase of the housing recovery project for conflict affected families. The project “Improving Living Conditions in Returnee Areas of Sri Lanka through Housing” ...

December 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The World Bank and UN-Habitat offices in Sri Lanka have jointly launched a policy note, “Turning Sri Lanka’s Urban Vision into Policy and Action”, aimed at supporting the Government of Sri Lanka achieve its Urban Vision as outlined in the national development policy framework – the Mahinda Chinthana. The policy ...

December 17, 2012, Kalmunai, Sri Lanka. The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit of the Kalmunai Municipal Council was ceremonially opened on 17th December by the Hon. Mayor of Kalmunai, Dr. M. Siraz Meerasahib. UN-Habitat Programme Manager, Laxman Perera, DRR Project Manager, Indu Weerasoori, Municipal Commissioner, J. Liyakath Ali, Council members, senior Government and Local Authority ...

November 2012, Batticaloa and Kalmunai, Eastern province Sri Lanka. Two awareness workshops on “Best Practices for Disaster Resilient Constructions in Coastal Areas” for local contractors, masons, carpenters and members of the Rural Development Society (RDS) were held in the cities of Kalmunai and Batticaloa recently. This is a key output of the project ‘Disaster Resilient ...