By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
October 7, 2026
Yap — Fauna Gimots, a representative of the Yap State Department of Youth and Civic Affairs, has completed a four-week United Nations online training program focused on tsunami awareness, disaster preparedness, and youth leadership in disaster risk reduction.
According to a Facebook post from the Yap State Government, Gimots received a Certificate of Participation on October 7 after successfully completing the Youth Leaders for World Tsunami Awareness Day 2026 Online Course, organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The self-paced program ran from September 1 through September 30 and brought together young people between the ages of 14 and 25 from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Participants completed four online learning modules and related activities designed to improve their understanding of disaster risks and the measures communities can take to reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards.
The course introduced participants to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, an international agreement that provides guidance for reducing disaster risks, protecting lives, and strengthening community resilience.
Participants examined disaster case studies from across the Asia-Pacific region to identify lessons that could help communities improve preparedness and respond more effectively to emergencies.
The training also addressed the importance of early warning systems, evacuation procedures, and timely communication in reducing the loss of life and damage caused by disasters.
Another component focused on inclusive, community-based disaster risk reduction and the concept of “Building Back Better,” which encourages communities to improve resilience during recovery and reconstruction following disasters.
The program emphasized the role young people can play in preparing their communities for emergencies, sharing information, and participating in local disaster risk reduction activities.
As part of the course requirements, participants developed personal Disaster Action Plans covering risk assessment, preparedness, early warning, and recovery.
The exercise was intended to help participants apply the knowledge gained during the training to practical disaster preparedness activities.
The Yap State Department of Youth and Civic Affairs said opportunities such as the UNITAR course help young people develop skills and knowledge that can contribute to safer and better-prepared communities.
The department recognized Gimots’s successful completion of the program as a contribution to strengthening youth participation in disaster risk reduction and tsunami awareness efforts.
The government announcement did not provide details of Gimots’s Disaster Action Plan or indicate whether she plans to use the training to develop specific disaster preparedness activities in Yap.
Her completion of the course adds to efforts to encourage young people to participate in community preparedness and develop a better understanding of the risks posed by tsunamis and other natural disasters.
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