14 April 2026: Prof. Nibedita Ray-Bennett Shares Groundbreaking Insights on Disaster Deaths with NEREIDS Network Researchers
Professor Nibedita Ray-Bennett delivered a public lecture to the early-career researchers of the NEREIDS Network. This Network is led by Drs David Ortiz Haro and Joshua Nicholas, based at the UK Alliance for Disaster Research. Prof. Ray-Bennett presented the findings of her latest book, ‘Avoiding Disaster Deaths: Why do so many people die’ (Springer Nature, 2025). More details of this can be found through this link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-81300-9
31 March 2026: Closure of IAD4AD 2026
The third year of global campaign, International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (IAD4AD), was marked by Regional Coordinators across 16 countries over 30 activities (including the launch of two country chapters in Taiwan and India).
Importantly, ADN launched the Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) Framework for the Global Campaign, to monitor the impact of this 10-year global campaign, with ethics approval from the University of Leicester.
31 March 2026: ADN Hero Award Winner 2026
We are thrilled to announce the winner of this years ADN Hero Award: José Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri
José was nominated by Nancy L. Moore, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Africa Fire Mission:
‘José Ngunjiri has transformed community safety from an abstract concept into practical, lifesaving action in Kenya. By leveraging personal experience as a burns survivor, José has dedicated himself to preventing avoidable deaths through hands-on fire prevention and safety training initiatives. He has empowered community members to act when seconds matter most. His work has strengthened local capacity, ensuring that lifesaving interventions begin long before formal emergency services arrive. What makes José’s contribution especially powerful is his focus on sustainability. He delivers training, develops local champions, mentors new instructors, and builds community ownership around prevention. As a result, knowledge spreads, preparedness improves, and safer behaviors become embedded in everyday life. He is even the star of a children’s fire safety show that was created and aired on public television in Kenya. José is replicating his work in Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia. In contexts where preventable injuries and deaths are far too common, José’s leadership is closing critical gaps in response and resilience. His work saves lives, repeatedly, by creating communities that are trained, equipped, and ready to protect one another‘.
The Hero was chosen by an Expert Selection Committee following a pre-defined selection criteria, chaired by Dr. Hideyuki Shiroshita.
26 March 2026: Launch of Junior Champion Magazine, Volume 5
The virtual global launch of Junior Champion Magazine, Volume 5: Children and Youths’ Stories from Pakistan was held on 26 March 2026, bringing together around 26 participants. The event featured 12 speakers, including editors Arkoneil Ghosh and Anushka Konar, guest editors Tahira Khan and Muhammad Asad Tahir, as well as contributing authors, ADN President Hideyuki Shiroshita, several ADN members, and local participants from Pakistan. The programme included insightful talks from authors sharing lived experiences, along with reflections from editors and guest editors on the significance of amplifying youth voices in disaster contexts. The session highlighted the importance of storytelling in raising awareness and fostering community resilience. The launch was well received by attendees and gained positive feedback for its engaging discussions, meaningful content and strong collaborative spirit
19 March 2026: Launch of the ADN India Chapter
The ADN India Chapter was launched on 19 March 2026 at the KIIT School of Public Health, Bhubaneswar, led by Dr Ramya Pinnamaneni and Dr Pratap Kumar Jena. The launch event formed part of ADN’s global public engagement campaign, the International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (#IAD4AD). The event was attended by ADN President and Convenor, Professor Nibedita Ray-Bennett, and brought together experts from organisations including UNDP and UNICEF, alongside academics, practitioners, and around 30–40 participants.
The inaugural session featured addresses by Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, and Prof. Dr KD Raju, Pro-Vice Chancellor, highlighting the institution’s commitment to public health, avoidable deaths, and disaster risk reduction.
The programme included keynote sessions on ADN’s global vision, followed by panel discussions on avoidable deaths in India featuring experts such as Dr Niranjan Mishra, Dr Brajesh Merta, Dr Ambika Prasad Nanda, and Mr Bibhuti Bhusan. A round table with ADN India Regional Coordinators and affiliates focused on strategic priorities and implementation frameworks in the Indian context.
The event also featured sessions on student challenges, community voices, and the Junior Champions initiative, including a presentation by Master Arkoneil Ghosh. These contributions highlighted the growing role of youth engagement in advancing awareness and prevention for avoidable deaths.
The launch marked a significant step in strengthening ADN’s presence in India, emphasising collaborative, multi-sector approaches to reducing avoidable deaths through education, policy engagement, and community action.
12-13 March 2026: Launch of the ADN Taiwan Chapter
The ADN Taiwan Chapter was officially launched on 12–13 March 2026 at National Chi Nan University in Puli, Nantou County. Led by Professor Jie Ru Chen and Dr Yi Tzu Lin, the event formed part of the International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (#IAD4AD), bringing together nine speakers, including ADN Presidents Professor Nibedita Ray and Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita, and Junior Champion Magazine Founding Editor, Master Arkoneil Ghosh.
Speakers highlighted local disaster management efforts and shared insights into children’s disaster awareness, school-based disaster education, and preparedness for older populations. The launch drew around 40 participants, who emphasised the importance of committed individuals—from volunteers to youth contributors—in reducing disaster risks. Attendees also praised the inspiring role of young editors from here.
On 13 March, delegates visited the Paper Temple, a symbol of post-earthquake resilience. The visit concluded with a networking session to explore future ADN collaborations in Taiwan.
12 March 2026: ADN President’s, Future Leader and Regional Coordinator Award Winners 2026
We are thrilled to announce the winners of this years ADN President’s, Future Leader and Regional Coordinator Awards:
- President’s Award: Ms. Kelly Litsoung (Operations)
- Future Leader Award: Ms. Sadia Afrin Sayfa Negaban
- Regional Coordinator Award: Master Arkoneil Ghosh (India)
The ADN Awards highlights the exceptional work of our members.
Selection Criteria:
- The President’s Award and Hero Award are chosen by ADN Presidents, Professor Nibedita Ray-Bennett and Dr. Hideyuki Shiroshita.
- The Future Leader Award is chosen by the Future Leaders. Each Future Leader can cast one vote.
- The Regional Coordinator Award is chosen by the Regional Coordinators. Each Regional Coordinator can cast one vote.
4 March 2026: UNOCHA HNPW ADN sessions
The Avoidable Deaths Network successfully delivered two sessions at UNOCHA HNPW 2026, attracting 147 registered participants from around the world.
The first session brought together 4 speakers: Muhammad Asad Tahir, Prof. James Fitchet, Dr. Christian Morgner, and Siffa Zakria, representing the UK and Pakistan.
The second session featured 8 speakers: Rtd. Col. Prof. Sanjay Srivastava, Vishal Pathak, Dr. Fatima Akter, Md. Asad Tahir Jappa, Kentaro Murakami, Rafiqul Montu, Ranjan K. Panda, and Hideyuki Shiroshita, sharing campaign-driven approaches from across Asia.
A sincere thank you to all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions.
9 February 2026: Nominate Your Community Hero for the Avoidable Deaths Network’s (ADN) Hero Award
Every day, ordinary people take extraordinary actions to protect others, reduce disaster risks, and strengthen their communities. Some save lives through innovation. Others mobilise neighbours to solve neglected problems ignored during or post disasters. Many work quietly, by driving a snakebite victim on their motorbike to the nearest hospital without recognition, yet their impact saves lives and transforms entire communities.
Now is the moment to bring those stories forward.
We invite you to nominate individuals whose courage, leadership, and commitment have prevented harm, protected lives, or created safer futures. Whether they introduced a simple idea that changed everything, rallied a community to act, or stood up when no one else would, their story deserves to be told. Because they are unsung heroes.
If you know someone who has:
- Reduced preventable injuries or deaths
- Led a community-driven safety or risk‑reduction initiative
- Overcome barriers to protect others
- Created measurable, lasting change
Submit a nomination today to shine a light on the next ADN Hero. Each year, one ADN Hero Award is announced; however, exceptions may be made depending on the volume of nominations. The outcome of the Hero Award will be announced on 12 March, and the awardee will be invited to receive a certificate and the opportunity to speak with their nominator on 31 March at ADN’s virtual International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths closing ceremony at 1:00 PM (GMT).
Deadline to nominate: 25 February 2026
Submit your nomination: To nominate your community hero, email this completed submission form to contact@avoidable-deaths.net with the subject heading: “Hero Award Nomination – HAN26).”
The selection criteria and submission is available in the attached document.
University of Leicester and Kansai University Sign New Collaboration Agreement to Strengthen ADN Partnership
02 February 2026: ADN is delighted to announce the signing of a new collaboration agreement between the University of Leicester and Kansai University. Although the two institutions have been partners since 2018, this newly established agreement formally strengthens and extends their partnership specifically for ADN’s mission and activities.
This development marks a significant milestone for the Network. The updated agreement establishes a clear, streamlined pathway to establish further collaboration agreements with ADN Chapters in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Taiwan. This will support stronger engagement, improved governance and more coordinated work across regions.
Dhaka University Research Fair Spotlights ADN Bangladesh: Students Rally for Climate and Disaster Risk Action
25 January 2026: The Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Dhaka University hosted a day‑long Research Fair and Career Festival on 25 January 2026, inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Niyaz Ahmad Khan. The event showcased faculty and student research and provided career networking opportunities. A featured poster highlighted the work of the Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN) Bangladesh Chapter, including IAD4AD celebrations, flood relief activities, and student engagement opportunities. Faculty praised ADN as a timely initiative addressing climate and disaster risks, while students expressed strong interest in contributing to research, awareness campaigns, and community‑based disaster risk reduction initiatives. The poster content was developed by the ADN Future Leaders, Mohammad Fahimul Islam and Miss Sadia Afrin Sayfa Negaban under the mentorship of Prof. Nibedita Ray-Bennett. The ADN Bangladesh Chapter is convened by Dr Fatima Akter, the Chairperson of the Meteorology Department at the Dhaka University.
Launch of the Avoidable Disaster Deaths (ADD) Study Group
22 January 2026: We are pleased to announce the launch of the Avoidable Disaster Deaths (ADD) Study Group on 22 January 2026. The ADD Study Group emerged from 13 consultative meetings held under the Wellcome Discovery Award proposal, led by Professor Nibedita Ray‑Bennett of the University of Leicester’s Avoidable Deaths Network.
The ADD Study Group brings together 24 members from 14 institutions across the UK, South Asia, and Japan. The initiative was proposed by Dr Pratap Jena (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) and approved unanimously by members attending the launch meeting.
The ADD Study Group aims to apply the Avoidable Disaster Deaths Framework to analyse open data on disaster‑related deaths and generate context‑specific interventions and toolkits to save lives and strengthen disaster death data governance.
Membership of the ADD Study Group is currently closed and by invitation only.
5 January 2026: ADN is Hiring – Operations Coordinator/ Manager
We are looking for an ADN Operations Coordinator/ Manager. Please note this role is part-time and remote.
The deadline to submit applications is Sunday 8 February 2026.
The job specification is available in the attached document.