Nineteen Events who run the International Security Expo announce a new exhibition and conference: the International Disaster Response Expo. It will be co-located with the International Security Expo in Olympia, London and held over the two days, Wednesday and Thursday, on November 28 and 29, 2018.
As the Expo organisers say, the UK’s one of the few nations to meet its international obligation to spend 0.7pc of its Gross National Income (GNI) on foreign aid and is seen as a centre of excellence for disaster response techniques, procedures and technologies.
A two-day conference will bring in an audience of decision makers from governments, INGOs and industry; covering what works. With equipment and technology critical to many response scenarios, the Expo will showcase solutions, to draw officially hosted international delegations from the co-located International Security Expo.
Admiral Lord West, the former Labour Government Minister who chairs the International Disaster Response Expo said: “It is about time we launched a platform to showcase the superb work DFID, International Organisations, INGOs and industry are doing in this critical area that works for the global good. The UK leads much of the thinking and technologies in this area and I am excited to be able to launch this platform for best practice.”
An Advisory Council has been formed to help shape the content and focus of IDR 2018; it includes Robert MacFarlane, Deputy Director from the Cabinet Office, Dan Stephens, National Resilience Lead for FRS and Chief Fire Officer of Merseyside Fire Rescue Service, Simon Chesterman, Deputy Chief Constable, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, and Tim Cutbill, former London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner.
Peter Jones, Chief Executive at Nineteen Events, said: “My aim is to add something back to the world, my team and I are doing this through the International Security Expo but one of the greatest threats on the planet today is from disasters. It is a logical step to launch a brand-new event to cover this complex and vital area allowing us to give even more back. The UK and especially London, is the right place to hold this event and co-locating it with the International Security Expo recognises the huge cross overs there are with some parts of each discipline.”
