9 November 2026, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR, in collaboration with UNDRR and its Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean and the Global Education and Training Institute (UNDRR-GETI) have launched the course "Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies Through the Tools of Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030)".
The course responds to growing needs to strengthen disaster resilience at the local level by developing effective local disaster risk reduction strategies, having access to reliable risk information, and building strong stakeholder engagement. It integrates the tools and applications of the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR 2030) initiative to provide a useful framework that helps translate disaster risk reduction commitments into concrete measures that strengthen preparedness, reduce vulnerabilities, and support sustainable development.
The course includes eleven interactive self-paced lessons offering a flexible and accessible learning experience available in three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese). Each lesson goes beyond raising awareness of disaster risks by equipping participants with Training of Trainers (ToT) techniques and UNDRR expert-validated assessment tools to support the development and implementation of effective disaster resilience strategies and community-level training workshops.
By completing the course, participants will learn how to:
- Assess local disaster risks and resilience using MCR2030 tools and methodologies
- Plan local disaster risk reduction strategies based on disaster risk knowledge and resilience assessment findings
- Prioritize concrete actions, responsible stakeholders, timelines and measurable targets
- Mobilize communities and financing to implement disaster risk reduction strategies
- Measure implementation results by applying monitoring and evaluation approaches to track progress, demonstrate impact and sustain long-term commitment to resilience-building
Participants who successfully complete all course requirements will receive a certificate of completion.
Who Should Enrol?
Sustainable progress in disaster risk reduction depends on engaging and empowering those most directly affected by disaster and climate risks: local governments and communities. The central training objective is to help participants understand how to develop and finance disaster risk reduction strategies and plans, as required by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and many national disaster risk reduction laws.
Take the next step towards building safer and more resilient communities by enrolling in the course, which is available through UNITAR's online learning platform in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Professionals seeking to strengthen local disaster risk reduction planning and resilience-building efforts are encouraged to enrol.
Related Links
Course registration (English): Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies Through the Tools of Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) | UNITAR
Course registration (Spanish): Desarrollando Estrategias a Nivel Local para la Reduccion del Riesgo de Desastres a Traves de las Herramientas de la Iniciativa Desarrollando Ciudades Resilientes 2030 | UNITAR
Course registration (Portuguese): Desenvolvimento de Estrategias Locais de Reducao do Risco de Desastres Atraves das Ferramentas da Iniciativa Construindo Cidades Resilientes 2030 | UNITAR