April 29, 2026 marks the first commemoration of the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, established by the United Nations General Assembly on April 29, 2025 through a unanimously adopted resolution promoted by Uzbekistan, Chile, and the Philippines, with the support of more than eighty countries. Coordinated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), this day was created to honor earthquake victims around the world and, above all, to reaffirm a fundamental principle: prevention saves lives.
Remember. Protect. Build resilience.
This is the message chosen by ReLUIS for a commemoration that not only looks to the past, but also calls upon governments, institutions, scientific communities, and citizens to take concrete responsibility for the future.
For Italy, a country characterized by high seismic hazard, this day carries particularly deep significance. Our national history has been marked by devastating earthquakes that have left profound scars on both the territory and the collective memory: from the 1908 Messina and Reggio Calabria earthquake to the 1915 Marsica earthquake, from Friuli in 1976 to Irpinia in 1980, up to L’Aquila in 2009 and the Central Italy seismic sequence of 2016.
These events have highlighted a reality that is now scientifically well established: it is not the earthquake itself that determines the number of victims, but rather the vulnerability of the built environment, the quality of prevention measures, the preparedness of institutions, and the ability to translate scientific knowledge into actual safety.
Today, Italy possesses internationally recognized expertise in seismic research, structural engineering, risk mitigation, and civil protection. Within this context, the role of ReLUIS – the Network of University Laboratories for Seismic and Structural Engineering – is of central importance.
Through research activities, technical and scientific support to the Department of Civil Protection, regulatory development, training, and technological innovation, ReLUIS works every day to reduce the gap between scientific knowledge and territorial safety.
The first International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes therefore represents not only a moment of remembrance, but also an opportunity to strengthen the commitment toward a culture of structural prevention and resilience.
In 2026, this reflection takes on even greater significance for our country: on May 6, Italy will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Friuli earthquake, one of the events that most profoundly influenced the country’s evolution in seismic risk management and post-earthquake reconstruction.
To remember means acknowledging the human cost of earthquakes.
To protect means investing in the safety of the built heritage, in education, and in risk governance.
To build resilience means transforming memory into concrete action.
On this occasion, ReLUIS renews its scientific and institutional commitment to ensuring that research continues to be translated into effective tools for safeguarding communities, contributing to the construction of a safer, more aware, and better prepared country.
