On October 13, Shanghai's 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction event was held at the Xuhui Campus of East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), marking the first time the city's event commemorating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction had been hosted by a university. Combining indoor activities with outdoor hands-on experiences, the event brought together Chinese and international students, including participants from ECUST's College of International Education (CIE), to promote disaster prevention awareness and emergency preparedness.

The outdoor activities featured more than 10 interactive experiences, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) use, virtual reality (VR) fire escape simulations, simulated fire extinguishing, and electrical safety. More than 100 Chinese and international faculty members and students gained practical knowledge of emergency response and developed essential risk-avoidance and self-protection skills through hands-on participation.

During the indoor session, ECUST international students actively participated in a series of performances and interactive activities.

Chinese and international students jointly performed This Moment (《这一瞬间》), a public welfare theme song promoting earthquake preparedness and disaster risk reduction, expressing a shared commitment to building safer communities. The international student performers included Konstantin Torosyan from Russia, Amina Karbuzova from Kazakhstan, Elrawda Fayez Seedahmed Eljaaly from Sudan, and Oyu Ulzibat from Mongolia.

During the interactive performance Building a Safety Defense with the Power of Youth (《以青春之我筑安全之防》), firefighters demonstrated how quickly they put on their protective gear in response to an emergency call. Varvara Okalava, an international student from Belarus, also had the opportunity to try on firefighting gear and gain firsthand insight into the work of emergency responders.

In addition, 12 student representatives from China and abroad jointly launched a youth initiative on disaster prevention and risk reduction. Ikram Ul Haq, an international student from Pakistan, participated as an international student representative. The initiative encouraged young people to strengthen their awareness of disaster risks, acquire essential self-rescue skills, and work together to build safer and more resilient communities.

Through their participation in the event, international students from ECUST's College of International Education strengthened their safety awareness, developed practical emergency response skills, and contributed to fostering a campus culture in which everyone recognizes the importance of safety and is better prepared to respond to emergencies.