GENEVA — The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has issued a global call for organizations and stakeholders to participate in the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 which will be held on October 13, 2025.
The theme for this year’s observation is “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” urging a decisive global shift in financial strategy towards preventative investment.
Focus on Shifting Financial Priorities
The emphasizes that while direct disaster losses are estimated at around US$202 billion per year, the true annual cost is nearly US$2.3 trillion, a growing threat to global economic prosperity and sustainable development. Despite these staggering figures, investment in Disaster Risk Reduction remains chronically under-prioritized in both national budgets and international assistance.
The core message of the 2025 campaign is that cutting funding inevitably leads to more expensive disasters in the future and increases humanitarian needs. Disaster costs are pushing countries into spirals of debt and repeated crises.
To combat this is calling on countries to increase funding and ensure that all development investments are risk-informed.
Organizations, governments, civil society, youth groups, and the private sector are invited to submit details of publicly available events, workshops, or campaigns that raise awareness of the theme, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.”