What can centuries of human history teach us about preventing disasters and building a safer, healthier future?
Throughout history, humanity has experienced devastating disasters, from wars and earthquakes to pandemics. Yet our past also reveals remarkable achievements in preventing disasters, strengthening governance, advancing education and improving living conditions for communities around the world.
In this UCL Lunch Hour Lecture, Professor Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London and Professor II at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, explores how societies have responded to disasters over the centuries, what we have learned from these experiences, and how historical knowledge can help us address future challenges.
Looking beyond immediate crises and short-term solutions, the lecture highlights the importance of long-term thinking, collective action and societal progress in reducing disaster risks. By examining both the failures and successes of the past, we can better understand how to prevent avoidable suffering and create more resilient communities for generations to come.
The lecture will consider how historical developments in education, governance and public health have influenced disaster prevention, while reflecting on the importance of applying lessons from the past to today’s challenges. It offers an opportunity to rethink how we approach disaster risk reduction and how decisions made today can contribute to safer societies in the centuries ahead.
This lecture is open to everyone interested in disaster risk reduction, public health, climate change, sustainability and the ways societies can build safer futures.
Further information can be found here.