KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 20

Tikapur Municipality in Nepal's Kailali District, a region vulnerable to severe floods, is pioneering a groundbreaking approach to disaster risk reduction through the integration of scientific information into public art.

The municipality has partnered with the Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) to create a transformative initiative aimed at raising awareness and enhancing community resilience in the face of natural disasters, according to the statement issued by YI--Lab.

Tikapur Municipality, situated between the Karnali and Mohana rivers on flat terrain, experiences devastating floods during intense monsoon rainfall. Displaced communities, damaged infrastructure, and economic losses characterize the aftermath, necessitating a comprehensive disaster risk reduction approach. YI-Lab, in collaboration with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), has been actively working on disseminating scientific risk information to vulnerable communities.

On May 10, 2023, YI-Lab demonstrated the first mural art for scientific risk communication in Rajapur, garnering international acclaim with the 'Knowledge into Use Awards -2023' by the Global Resilience Partnership. The success of this approach was further showcased at COP28 in Dubai. Building on this success, Tikapur Municipality has been chosen for the next phase of this initiative. The strategic placement of the mural on the Municipality Office Premises aims to convey flood hazard information effectively. Utilizing hazard maps and flood levels, the art seeks to encourage data-driven decision-making and empower the local government with climate-smart information, including the Bipad Portal developed by the NDRRMA, the YI--Lab said.

QR codes embedded in the mural allow individuals to access additional information, providing insights into alert systems during disaster events. This innovative method blends art and science, exemplifying YI-Lab's commitment to sustainable solutions for community resilience and disaster communication, it added.

'Spatial data empowers data-scarce regions by providing vital information, enhancing local resilience. Promoting data-driven decision-making is crucial for effective policymaking and disaster risk reduction at the municipal level. Visualizing risk datasets through art helps sensitize the community and municipal government in an innovative way,' said Pradip Khatiwada, Executive Director, Youth Innovation Lab.

The municipality has expressed its positive response to such innovative initiatives, recognizing its potential to make a meaningful impact on community awareness and development endeavour. During the celebration of the successful completion of Mural art, Mayor: Ramlal Dangaura Tharu of Tikapur Municipality stated 'Tikapur municipality is situated in the Karnali region, surrounded by rivers and open areas prone to flooding. This mural

depicting the hazard, serves to raise awareness among our representatives, employees, and residents about floods. By providing information based on flood-related data, it is expected to contribute to extensive development initiatives in our region.'

Youth Innovation Lab, a not-for-profit civic tech company that empowers young minds to explore, create, and innovate, is one of the finalists to win Art4Resilience: Knowledge into Use Awards under Global Resilience Partnership. The awards celebrate creativity, embrace innovation, and showcase the latest resilience evidence.