Sri Lanka
USA
Canada
India
UK
UAE
More than 200 delegates from over 35 countries will gather in Sri Lanka for the 9th ABU Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Prevention (CADP-2025), scheduled to take place from 25–27 November at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.
Organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and hosted by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), CADP-2025 will be the largest international media event in Sri Lanka this year. About 75 international participants are expected, including senior representatives from leading broadcasters such as NHK (Japan), CMG (China), ABC (Australia), Doordarshan (India), TRT (Turkey), and RTM (Malaysia). They will be joined by Sri Lankan experts and stakeholders in climate communication and disaster preparedness.
With climate-related disasters on the rise, the summit underscores a global shift in the media’s role — from reporting tragedies to building resilience. Speaking at the launch ceremony on September 30 at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, SLRC said hosting CADP-2025 was both an honour and a privilege for Sri Lanka. The event also unveiled the official summit logo, website, and mascot.
Themed ‘Building Resilience Through Media: For a Cleaner, Greener & Safer Tomorrow’, the summit programme will include the launch of the Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan (DPRP) Model for Media, supported by UNESCO, alongside keynote speeches and panel discussions on disaster communication and climate action. It will also feature practical training workshops designed to strengthen journalists’ skills in disaster reporting, and conclude with the prestigious ABU Climate Change and DRR Awards Ceremony, recognising excellence in media contributions to resilience and climate awareness.
Since its inception in 2014 in Jakarta, the CADP Summit has been hosted in Thailand, Bangladesh, Fiji, Nepal, and the Maldives. The initiative traces its roots to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 227,000 people in 14 countries, highlighting the need for stronger media engagement in disaster preparedness.
This year’s Colombo summit will not only reinforce Sri Lanka’s commitment to climate communication and resilience but also promote the island as a sustainable tourism destination. A closing declaration will set out a regional roadmap for media collaboration in disaster risk reduction and climate action.
(SRM)
