Banda Aceh – The Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) at Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) has successfully held the 16th Aceh International Workshop and Expo on Sustainable Tsunami Disaster Recovery (AIWEST-DR 2024) in conjunction with the 8th PIT-IABI. This year’s theme, “Bridging Histories and Horizons Towards Sustainable Resilience, an Adaptive and Inclusive World” commemorates the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the most catastrophic events in recent history, with Aceh being the most affected region.
This event which took place on November 8-9, aimed to gather disaster researchers from around the world to reflect on past disasters and innovate resilience strategies. To enliven the opening ceremony, the traditional Aceh Ratoh Jaroe dance was also performed. This was followed by the signing of MoUs between Tohoku University’s School of Engineering and USK’s Faculty of Engineering as well as USK’s Faculty of Medicine and Gadjah Mada University’s (UGM) Faculty of Psychology.
Opening the Event with Rapa’i
Opening remarks were delivered by USK Rector Prof. Marwan, IPU, BNPB Principal Secretary Dr. Rustian and Dr. Harkunti Pertiwi Rahayu from IABI, with the event report delivered by Haekal Azief Haridhi, Ph.D., chair of AIWEST-DR.
Dr. Haekal Haridihi, Chairman of AIWEST-DR
Dr. Haekal emphasized the rigorous academic scrutiny “This year, we rigorously evaluated 208 submitted papers, each undergoing extensive peer review”.
In the end, 170 papers were accepted for presentation, covering seven tracks:
-Hazards, Technology, and Infrastructure;
-Inclusive Community Resilience and Disaster Education;
-Urban Planning, Reconstruction, and Recovery;
-Society, Culture, and History of Disasters;
-Human Security, Pandemics, and Infectious Diseases;
-Disaster Governance and Diplomacy, and
-Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance
“We are pleased to report that 30% of these contributions came from international researchers from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.” The conference was hosted in the AAC Dayan Dawood building at USK’s campus in Banda Aceh, showcasing a lineup of keynote and invited speakers from leading national and international institutions. Prominent keynote speakers included:
- Prof. Tiziana Rosetto, from University College London (UCL), London
- Prof. Shunichi Koshimura, from IRIDeS Tohoku University, Japan
- Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, Head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)
List of invited speakers:
- Prof. Anawat Suppasri, from IRIDeS Tohoku University, Japan
- Prof. Muksin, from TDMRC USK
- Prof. Irwan Meilano, from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)
- Prof. Nigel Clark, from Lancaster University
- Dr. Dumaria Rulina Tampubolon, from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)
- Herry Indratno, MPP, from the Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management (DJPPR Ministry of Finance)
Keynote Speakers and Invited Speakers Receive Plaque and Certificate Awards
AIWEST-DR 2024 facilitated the evaluation of scientific methodologies related to disaster management, promoted the dissemination of cutting-edge research, and encouraged strategic collaboration among stakeholders to enhance disaster resilience approaches.
The conference featured several agendas consisting of plenary, panel, and parallel sessions, special sessions, disaster exhibitions, and field trips. This year’s special sessions addressed topics such as:
- Lessons from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake
- Enhancing the Speed and Accuracy of Tsunami Early Warning Systems in Indonesia Through Tsunami Gauge Equipment
- Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction Capacities Using Community Radios: A Case Study of the Radar Tangguh Program
- Numerical Investigation of Extreme Wave Diffraction and Reflection on Porous Pile Cone Breakwaters
- Application of GPR and ERT Methods to Image Shallow Structures around Paleotsunami Caves in Aceh Besar, Indonesia
- Multi-Hazard Analysis of Marine Geology in the Banda Sea: A GIS-Based AHP Approach
- Coastal Evidence and Eyewitness Accounts of the Tsunami Impact of the 2021 Kalaotoa M 7.4 Earthquake
In this event, a documentary film produced by the TDMRC Production Team under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Syamsidik, S.T, M.Sc, the Director of TDMRC, was also shown. “Risalah Ombak Serambi Mekkah” started from an initial idea in December 2023 and continued until it became an initial concept in February 2024,” said Naufal Muhammad Naufal Al Ghiffari, the Film Director. The purpose of making “Risalah Ombak Serambi Mekkah” is a documentary film produced under the auspices of TDMRC to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Aceh Tsunami. This film raises the topic of the Aceh Tsunami as a messenger of change that impacts various aspects of Acehnese society: cultural, social, and religious. At the end of the screening of the film, the speakers of the film were called to the stage to receive awards.
The speakers of the documentary film Risalah Ombak Serambi Mekkah received an award
The disaster exhibition included contributions from organizations such as RDI, National Defence University of Malaysia, IRIDeS Tohoku University, BAST-ANRI, FASTANA TDMRC, e-tikbroh.yak, ASAR HUMANITY, GEN A dan UMKM (XEERELAM), enhancing the participant experience.
AIWEST-DR’s Exhibition
Field trips offered immersive experiences at sites like the Lampulo House Ship Monument, Aceh Tsunami Museum, Floating PLTD Ship Monument, Lampuuk Mosque That Survived the Tsunami, Lampuuk Beach, and Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, with some participants extending their visit to Pulau Weh in Sabang.
Field Trip
During the closing ceremony, it was announced that the next PIT-IABI would be held at UIN Yogyakarta, and plans were revealed for the 17th AIWEST-DR to be hosted in a European country in 2025. Additionally, Dr. Lilik Kurniawan, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at BNPB, awarded Best Presenter accolades to five individuals.
Parallel Room Session
Special Session
This event was a collaborative effort involving institutions such as the University of Sydney, IRIDeS Tohoku University, UPNM Malaysia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, UNESCO-IOC, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesian Disaster Experts Association (IABI), BMKG, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), supported by the Aceh Government and Geotindo.
