About the Understanding Risk Global Forum:
The Understanding Risk (UR) Global Forum is the world's largest and most significant knowledge exchange event for disaster risk identification, assessment, and communication. Founded by GFDRR (Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, housed at the World Bank) in 2010, the UR community has grown to over 13,000 members spanning 190+ countries and including 4,600+ organisations — from governments, multilateral institutions, and the private sector to NGOs, academia, research bodies, community groups, and civil society. Since 2010, UR has hosted 30 global, regional, and thematic forums uniting experts and communities through science, creativity, and collaboration. The most recent forum in Himeji, Japan (UR24) was the largest to date with over 1,700 attendees from 135 countries and 700+ organisations.

UR26 — Abu Dhabi, October 19–23, 2026:
The 9th edition of the Understanding Risk Global Forum will be held at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE, over five days in October 2026. Organised in partnership between GFDRR/World Bank and the Abu Dhabi Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre (ADCMC), UR26 will bring together more than 1,500 experts along with representatives from public and private sector entities, international organisations, and academic institutions. The forum will combine technical sessions, keynotes, plenary discussions, interactive workshops, and exhibitions showcasing the latest global innovations in disaster risk management.

Abu Dhabi provides a strong setting — reflecting leadership in climate action, innovation, and resilience planning, with advanced infrastructure, investments in data, technology, and early warning systems, and experience addressing extreme heat, water security, and rapid urban growth.

Key Topics and Themes:
The forum will address climate and disaster resilience, application of new technologies including artificial intelligence for disaster risk management and emergency response, risk communication and creative approaches to sharing risk information, disaster risk financing and insurance, early warning systems and forecast-based action, nature-based solutions for risk reduction, community-centred approaches to resilience, urban resilience and infrastructure, and cross-cutting themes connecting DRR with climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

Risk Resonance — Special Symposium:
UR26 introduces Risk Resonance, a special one-day symposium dedicated to innovation and creativity in risk communication. Held in memory of Pablo Suárez — a pioneer in creative approaches to communicating risk — this symposium will explore the latest approaches and techniques, new frontiers, and how creativity can transform the way risk is understood and acted upon. This is a unique component of UR26 that distinguishes it from previous forums.

What This Call for Proposals Seeks:
The Call for Proposals invites individuals, teams, organisations, and institutions to propose technical sessions, workshops, panels, interactive sessions, and other formats for UR26. Session proposals are reviewed by a Scientific Committee that curates the forum programme. In previous forums, over 250 technical session proposals were received with approximately 120 selected — a roughly 48% selection rate. Proposals should be innovative, technically rigorous, and designed for knowledge exchange and collaboration. Session leads must read the Guide for Session Leads before submitting their proposal.

Important Distinction — Not a Financial Grant:
This is a CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS at a global conference — not a financial grant, RFP, or fellowship. Being selected means your session is included in the UR26 programme and you lead/organise/facilitate that session in Abu Dhabi. No financial award is provided. Session leads and participants typically need to fund their own travel, accommodation, and registration. However, early bird registration is available at a reduced rate through July 31, 2026. Some organisations may offer travel grants for UR26 participants — check the UR26 website and GFDRR communications for announcements. Presenting at UR26 provides significant professional visibility, networking, and knowledge exchange value even without direct financial support.

Nepal Eligibility and Relevance:
Nepal is fully eligible — the UR community is global with 190+ countries represented. Nepal's DRR community has significant knowledge and experience to share at UR26.

Nepal's DRR Expertise for UR26 Sessions:

• Nepal's 2015 Gorkha earthquake experience — lessons in seismic risk assessment, early warning, emergency response, reconstruction, and building back better. Nepal is a global reference case for post-earthquake recovery.
• Community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) — Nepal has pioneered CBDRM approaches that are studied and replicated worldwide. Community-led vulnerability assessments, local disaster preparedness plans, and community early warning systems from Nepal could make compelling UR26 sessions.
• Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) monitoring — Nepal is at the frontier of GLOF risk assessment and early warning, with innovative monitoring systems at high-altitude glacial lakes. This is directly relevant to climate-related disaster risk.
• Mountain hazards and cascading risks — landslides, debris flows, and cascading hazard chains (earthquake → landslide → dam → flood) are uniquely characteristic of Nepal's mountainous terrain.
• Indigenous and local knowledge for DRR — Nepal's diverse communities hold generations of environmental knowledge relevant to disaster risk reduction — a growing area of interest in the global DRR community.
• AI and technology for DRR in Nepal — applications of satellite imagery, drone technology, AI-enabled hazard mapping, and mobile technology for early warning in Nepal's challenging terrain.
• Disaster risk financing — Nepal's experience with disaster insurance, social protection, and innovative financing mechanisms.
• Nature-based solutions — Nepal's community forestry and watershed management as nature-based disaster risk reduction.

Potential Nepal Session Proposers:

• National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
• National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET).
• ICIMOD — International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
• Tribhuvan University — Institute of Engineering, Central Department of Environmental Science.
• Kathmandu University — School of Science, School of Engineering.
• Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM).
• Department of Mines and Geology (DMG).
• Nepal Red Cross Society.
• NGOs working on DRR — Practical Action Nepal, Mercy Corps Nepal, DPNet Nepal.
• Private sector actors in disaster technology and innovation.
• Individual DRR researchers and practitioners.

Why Nepal Should Participate: UR26 is THE global platform for DRR knowledge exchange — presenting at UR26 positions Nepal's DRR community on the world stage. Networking with 1,500+ global experts creates partnerships, research collaborations, and funding opportunities. Nepal's unique disaster experiences (earthquakes, GLOFs, climate hazards) are globally significant and in high demand at international forums. Participation builds Nepal's visibility as a leader in community-centred, mountain, and climate-related DRR.

KEY DETAILS

•  Call: Understanding Risk Global Forum 2026 (UR26) — Call for Session Proposals
  
• Organiser: GFDRR / World Bank + ADCMC Abu Dhabi
  
• DEADLINE: April 30, 2026 (EXTENDED from March 30) — 31 DAYS REMAINING
  
• FORUM: October 19–23, 2026 | ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE (5 days)
  
• EXPECTED: 1,500+ experts from governments, academia, private sector, NGOs, international orgs
  
• APPLY: https://www.ur26-abudhabi.com/
  
• Read Guide for Session Leads before submitting

• THIS IS NOT A FINANCIAL GRANT:
  — It is a CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS at a global conference
  — No money awarded for session proposals
  — Session leads fund their own travel/registration (unless separate grants available)
  — Value: global visibility, networking, knowledge exchange, professional prestige

• EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION: Through July 31, 2026 (reduced rate)
  
• UR COMMUNITY: 13,000+ members | 190+ countries | 4,600+ organisations

• KEY TOPICS:
  — Climate and disaster resilience
  — AI and new technologies for DRM
  — Risk communication and creativity
  — Disaster risk financing
  — Early warning systems
  — Nature-based solutions
  — Community-centred resilience
  — Urban resilience and infrastructure

• RISK RESONANCE (special):
  — One-day symposium on creativity in risk communication
  — In memory of Pablo Suárez
  — Innovation and creative approaches to risk understanding

• NEPAL: FULLY ELIGIBLE — STRONG KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE
  — 2015 Gorkha earthquake — globally significant case study
  — Community-based DRM — Nepal is a pioneer
  — GLOF monitoring — cutting-edge mountain hazard science
  — Indigenous knowledge for DRR — growing global interest
  — Cascading mountain hazards — unique expertise
  — AI/technology for DRR in challenging terrain

• POTENTIAL NEPAL SESSION PROPOSERS:
  — NDRRMA (government DRR authority)
  — NSET (earthquake technology)
  — ICIMOD (mountain development)
  — TU and KU (universities)
  — DHM, DMG (government technical departments)
  — Nepal Red Cross Society
  — NGOs: Practical Action, Mercy Corps, DPNet
  — Individual DRR researchers and practitioners

• SELECTION: Scientific Committee curates programme
  — Previous forums: ~250 proposals received → ~120 selected (~48% rate)

• IMPORTANT NOTES:
  — DEADLINE IS APRIL 30, 2026 — 31 DAYS REMAINING (extended from March 30)
  — Read the GUIDE FOR SESSION LEADS before submitting — available on UR26 website
  — This is a SESSION PROPOSAL, not a grant application — you're proposing to lead a session
  — TRAVEL AND REGISTRATION costs are typically self-funded — budget accordingly
  — EARLY BIRD registration reduces costs — available through July 31
  — Abu Dhabi VISA requirements — check UAE visa requirements for Nepali passport holders well in advance
  — UR26 is THE premier global DRR event — presenting here is significant career/institutional visibility
  — Previous UR forums had ~48% selection rate — more accessible than typical grant competitions
  — COLLABORATIVE proposals (multi-country, multi-sector) may be stronger
  — INNOVATIVE formats (interactive, hands-on, creative) are valued alongside traditional panels
  — The RISK RESONANCE symposium on creative risk communication is a unique opportunity
  — Nepal's DRR experiences are GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT — don't undersell your knowledge
  — If selected, use UR26 to BUILD PARTNERSHIPS for future research and funding collaborations
  — Monitor UR26 website for potential TRAVEL GRANT announcements

• UR26 WEBSITE: https://www.ur26-abudhabi.com/
  
• GFDRR UR PAGE: https://www.gfdrr.org/en/understandingrisk
  
• SOURCE: https://www.preventionweb.net/news/call-proposals-understanding-risk-global-forum-2026 + https://www.ur26-abudhabi.com/ + https://www.gfdrr.org/en/understandingrisk