Sustainability of a heritage site is dependent in part on its ability to withstand the impact of natural disasters and climate change. A Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategy should be an integral part of heritage site management; thus, cooperation for disaster risk mitigation and heritage conservation should go hand in hand. 

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for (World) Heritage Sites is a project domain of UNESCO Office Jakarta that aims to strengthen the resilience of heritage sites by incorporating DRR programs into their management. We work with key actors from heritage backgrounds as well as the disaster management sector to formulate programs and strategies aimed to not only conserve the built environment itself, but to also sustain the local livelihoods, many of which ultimately depend on the sites’ resilience as heritage destinations. Moreover, our DRR for heritage sites programs aim to safeguard valuable museum collections and immaterial traditions, which embody the identity of the people. 

UNESCO Office Jakarta assists heritage sites and historic cities across our five cluster countries to build capacities in strengthening the protection against disaster risks and minimizing associated damages by increasing risk awareness and improving response capabilities. In parallel, the office also collaborates closely with other UNESCO field offices to promote inter-regional cooperation on DRR across Asia, Pacific and Africa.