​​​​​​​Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) Webinar Series on "Advancing Urban Resilience in Asia and the Pacific through Integrated Planning, Digital Innovation, and Finance"

28 January 2026 | Webinar

On 28 January 2026, the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, successfully convened the MCR2030 webinar series titled "Advancing Urban Resilience in Asia and the Pacific through Integrated Planning, Digital Innovation, and Finance."

The virtual event engaged over 200 participants from more than 40 countries, bringing together city representatives, urban planners, policymakers, resilience practitioners, private-sector companies, and academia to exchange knowledge and best practices, and explore innovative strategies, digital tools, and real-world case studies to address growing urban climate and disaster risks.

​The session was opened by the moderator, Mr. Armen Rostomyan, Senior Programme Specialist of AIT RRC.AP, followed by a welcome address from Dr. Guilberto Borongan, Director of AIT RRC.AP, who highlighted key urban challenges in Asia and the Pacific and emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between resilience planning and implementation through digital tools and finance solutions.

The opening segment concluded with an inspiring keynote address by Mr. Taiki Kohno, Assistant Director, Climate Change Adaptation Office, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MoEJ), who outlined key pathways to accelerate urban resilience in ​Asia and the Pacific region.

The webinar included five expert-led presentation sessions accompanied by dynamic interactive Q&A segments, allowing participants to gain practical insights into implementing resilience strategies at the city level.

The webinar concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Huno Solomon Kofi Mensah, Head of the Climate Change Cluster at AIT RRC.AP, who expressed appreciation to all partners and participants and reaffirmed the importance of shared knowledge, practical digital tools, and sustained regional collaboration in advancing resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities across Asia and the Pacific.​

​Feedback​​

"The session was clear and well-organized, with relevant content and practical examples that added value to urban planning and disaster resilience." Jazmin del Rocio López Dzul, Secretaría de Protección Civil, Prevención de Riesgos y Bomberos, Mexico

"All the presentations were highly appropriate to the webinar topics, and we enjoyed all the sessions. Thank you very much for organizing this, and looking forward to participating in future initiatives." Su Thin Zar Hlaing, AgriMway, Thailand

"The session was very helpful, providing clear insights and practical guidance on advancing urban resilience and implementing MCR2030 strategies." William Femi Dare, Willow Empowerment for Grassroot Development Initiative, Nigeria

"This session was quite helpful in planning upgrades to my own city's flood preparedness measures." Darwin Joemil Papa, Iloilo City Office of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippines