K1 DIRECT Management – Priya Thirumur, Iris Hakkens & Alan Schet – attended the Understanding Risk Caribbean Conference held in Barbados.

UR Caribbean brings together representatives of government ministries, national disaster management agencies, private sector organizations & others to identify means of disaster risk reduction, while sharing knowledge.

There were about 500 persons in attendance representing over 20 countries, and Priya Thirumur along with Joy Arnell (ESF7), Fenna Arnell (ESF6), Margje Troost (ESF6) Jess Beutler (OpenStreetMap) and Louis Jeffrey (Health Representative of St. Martin) participated in a special panel discussion delving into communication and experiences during Hurricane Irma on St. Maarten.

The conference was an important occasion for K1 DIRECT as they connected with governments of different countries to figure out how K1 DIRECT could play a role within their disaster relief structures, while also strengthening connections with international humanitarian organizations such Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Food Programme as international partners for regional disaster relief.

Several members of the Government of St. Maarten attended the UR Conference, including Honorable Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin, who all participated and/or presented in various panels and discussions on risk reduction and resilience.

One key phrase that Honorable Prime Minister Romeo-Marlin made at the Money Talks panel discussion is, “Caribbean nations are forever tied to each other, for better or for worse, so we must speak to the world with one voice.”

This aligns with K1 DIRECT’s long-term goal to expand in the region to partner and assist as many islands as possible during disaster situations.

Thank you to K1 DIRECT’s Founding Sponsors Carnival Cruise Line & the Dutch Disaster Fund (NRF), for making this possible!