On November 25, 2025, A-PAD Sri Lanka held an international symposium at the Galle Face Hotel in the capital, Colombo.

The symposium was held with the theme “Strengthening Emergency Preparedness and Response in an Era of Escalating Crises,”  as part of the project, “Strengthening Resilience and Disaster Response Capacity of Public-Private Partnerships Under National Economic Recovery” with funding from the Government of Japan under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects in Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Akio ISOMATA, attended the symposium in addition to 150 people from nine countries, including representatives of the private sector, international organizations and partner organizations.

 

At the opening ceremony, A-PAD COO and A-PAD Sri Lanka’s Country Director, Firzan Hashim, A-PAD Senior Advisor Nobutaka Miyahara, and A-PAD Chairman Quazi Quamruzzaman gave opening remarks.

 A-PAD COO and A-PAD Sri Lanka’s Country Director, Firzan Hashim

In his remarks, Mr. Hashim mentioned that disasters cause more than US$2.3 trillion in losses worldwide every year. As humanitarian aid shrinks due to funding shortages, he noted, response capabilities must not just exist on paper, but must be effective and responsive. This symposium aims to maximize the effectiveness of aid by bringing together diverse organizations, utilizing the abundant resources gathered here, while respecting each other’s cultures, beliefs, and dignity.

A-PAD Senior Advisor Nobutaka Miyahara

Mr. Miyahara highlighted that amid growing nationalism around the world and shrinking international aid, the importance of human security is being questioned more than ever. A-PAD and A-PAD Sri Lanka are steadily realizing their mission of saving more lives in less time through public-private partnerships and strengthening disaster response capabilities. Now more than ever, it is important for us to turn our attention to the suffering of others and demonstrate a willingness to support one another.

A-PAD Chairman Quazi Quamruzzaman

The chairman discussed that each year’s crises are not just caused by natural disasters, but also by a complex mix of factors including climate change, social and economic factors, and no country or organization can respond alone. He believes this is why it is more important than ever for governments, the private sector, NGOs, and local communities to join forces and collaborate, leveraging each other’s strengths. He hopes that this symposium will further strengthen that collaboration and be a step towards more effective crisis response.

In his keynote address, Ambassador ISOMATA congratulated A-PAD Sri Lanka on hosting the symposium and, based on Japan’s experience of repeatedly facing disasters, stated that “In disaster response, it is important to remember the basics and build upon them to adapt to the current situation. You can never be too prepared.” He also emphasized the important role that A-PAD Sri Lanka’s public-private partnerships in utilizing resources and comprehensive participatory approaches play in disaster response.

 

The panel discussion was divided into two parts and included representatives from the World Bank, Taiwan’s National Fire and Disaster Management Agency, local media, ARROWS, and Airlink.