Kyoto, Japan – Aprillia Findayani, a lecturer in the Geography Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), participated in the Japan Society for Disaster Education Annual Meeting 2026 (防災教育学会 年会費2026年度（第1期）), held on 20–21 June 2026 at the Kyoto University Uji Campus, Japan.
During the international scientific forum, Aprillia presented her research entitled “Ethnoscience in Disaster Education: Lessons from the South Coast of Java, Indonesia.” Her presentation emphasized the importance of integrating ethnoscience, or indigenous and local knowledge, into disaster education as a contextual and sustainable approach to disaster risk reduction.
In her presentation, Aprillia explained that the southern coast of Java is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis due to its location along an active subduction zone. Communities living in this region have developed a wealth of indigenous knowledge, cultural traditions, and local practices that have been passed down through generations as adaptive responses to natural hazards. She argued that this traditional knowledge represents a valuable resource that can be integrated with modern scientific approaches to strengthen disaster education.
According to Aprillia, disaster education becomes more effective when it goes beyond scientific and technological perspectives by incorporating cultural values, community experiences, folklore, and local wisdom that reflect the specific characteristics of a region. Such an approach can enhance disaster risk awareness, foster a culture of preparedness, and strengthen community resilience in responding to natural hazards.
The Japan Society for Disaster Education Annual Meeting serves as an important platform for academics, researchers, educators, and disaster management practitioners from around the world to exchange experiences and discuss innovations in disaster education. Aprillia’s participation also created opportunities to expand international research collaboration between Indonesia and Japan, particularly in the development of culture-based disaster education models that integrate local knowledge into disaster risk reduction strategies.
This participation reflects Universitas Negeri Semarang’s commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by promoting inclusive and locally grounded disaster education; SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by strengthening community capacity for disaster risk reduction; SDG 13 (Climate Action) by enhancing preparedness and adaptive capacity to disaster and climate-related hazards; and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering international academic collaboration and knowledge exchange between Indonesia and Japan.
Through her participation in this international forum, Aprillia Findayani expressed her hope that her research on integrating ethnoscience into disaster education would contribute to the development of more contextual, participatory, and sustainable disaster education policies and practices. Ultimately, she believes that combining indigenous knowledge with scientific innovation can help build more resilient communities capable of facing future disaster risks.
