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GEM looks back to an eventful year 2015, starting with the successful launch of the OpenQuake platform in January. The tools, data and products on the platform have found rapidly increasing acceptance in earthquake risk assessment and its application for disaster risk reduction worldwide. Further highlights were our active participation in the 3rd UN WCDRR in Sendai in March, the finalization of the first GEM managed regional project SARA for South America, and the start of a similar project in Sub-Saharan Africa. Soon after the Sendai Conference a terrible earthquake struck Nepal in April.

In the spirit of GEM’s core value of “working together” GEM provides assistance to its local partner NSET, the Nepal Society for Earthquake Technology, to contribute to the creation of a disaster resilient Nepal. The program of this long-term collaboration has been presented to the Government of Nepal by NSET and GEM in early December. We want to express our sincere thanks to the GEM staff, to our sponsors and collaboration partners, and to the whole GEM family for their continued support which has made all these achievements possible and lays the basis for fulfilling GEM’s vision - a world where disaster resilience is common practice.With best wishes for a successful and prosperous year 2016 to all of you, Mauro Dolce Anselm SmolkaChairman, Governing Board Secretary General