Today is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was first observed in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.
Held every October 13th, the day showcases how people and communities around the world are reducing exposure to disasters.
In a statement on the occasion of the day’s observance, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I referred to the catastrophic floods that hit central Greece last month, reminding that humanity is obliged to comprehend nature’s messages and to change our practices for the better.