NIA CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS (April 16, 2026) - The following is a press release from the Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD):
The Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD) will host a Faith-Based Geophysical Hazards Symposium on Tuesday, April 28, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:35 p.m. at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park. Nevis. This event marks the culmination of the first phase of its Multi-Hazard Awareness Calendar.
Held under the theme “Faith, Science, and Preparedness: Strengthening Community Resilience to Geophysical Hazards,” the symposium reflects a strategic integration of faith-based engagement and hazard-specific outreach programs from January to April. Over the past four months, NDMD, in collaboration with schools and churches across Nevis, has led targeted awareness activities aligned to its multiple hazards calendar:
. January – Earthquake: Charlestown Primary School, in partnership with the Wesleyan Holiness Church
. February – Landslide: St. James Primary School in collaboration with Ebenezer United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic
. March – Tsunami: St. Thomas’/Lowlands Primary School alongside the Seventh-day Adventist Church
. April – Volcano: Joycelyn Liburd Primary School with the Church of God of Prophecy
This coordinated approach underscores NDMD’s commitment to linking hazard awareness directly to community institutions. It recognizes schools and churches as critical platforms for education, preparedness messaging, and behavioral change.
The upcoming symposium will serve as a local platform for consolidation and reflection. It will bring together faith leaders, educators, disaster management officials, international partners, and regional scientific experts to deepen public understanding of earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and volcanic activity while reinforcing practical preparedness actions.
A key feature of the event is positioning faith-based organizations as essential partners in Disaster Communication and Community Resilience. They are supported by structured systems such as District Disaster Chairs and the Disaster Communications Ambassadors (DCA), which strengthen last-mile communication and coordinated response at the community level.
The program will include:
. Faith-based presentations connecting scripture to hazard awareness and action.
. NDMD-led segments on disaster communication systems and community planning
. Introduction of community-level disaster leadership structures
. Partner feature highlighting Mercy Corps’ ongoing collaboration and resilience-building initiatives with NDMD
. A technical presentation by the UWI Seismic Research Center
. An interactive question and answer session with the public
NDMD emphasizes that this symposium is not only an awareness-raising activity but also a deliberate step toward institutionalizing community-based disaster communication, where faith, science, and governance intersect to build a more resilient Nevis.
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