In 2025, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, which has since been observed annually on the 29th of April. Through this day of remembrance, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction aims not only to honor the millions of people worldwide who have lost their lives or have been affected by earthquakes, but also to raise awareness of effective preparedness measures. Under the motto “Remember. Protect. Build disaster resilience.”, the day highlights the importance of prevention, risk awareness, and resilient infrastructure.
Earthquakes remain among the deadliest natural hazards worldwide. Since 1900, twelve earthquakes have each claimed more than 50,000 lives — five of these events have occurred since 2000. According to United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, earthquakes are also responsible for around 25.6 percent of global economic losses caused by natural disasters. One key lesson is clear: in many cases, it is not the earthquakes themselves that cause the highest number of fatalities, but collapsing buildings and insufficiently prepared infrastructure.
The international day of remembrance therefore underscores that the impacts of earthquakes can be significantly reduced through targeted measures. These include stricter building codes, more resilient infrastructure, improved risk assessments, early warning systems, and greater public awareness. The day aims to connect remembrance with concrete action — helping to strengthen resilience against future earthquake events worldwide.
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(Image source: AI-generated)