1. Whereas the human, economic, and ecological costs and losses associated with natural and technological disasters are increasing exponentially, and pose a systemic risk to society's political and economic bases. It is correspondingly difficult, in some cases impossible, for local, national, and global response, warning, and mitigation efforts to cope with the scope, magnitude, and complexity of these disasters.
2. Further, as we begin the 21st century, a revolution in information and computer technologies is transforming the global community from an industrial to an information society. These technologies could reduce the considerable impacts of disasters on people, their infrastructures, and their environment.
3. Resulting from a meeting in Washington DC on July 16-17, 1998 and a meeting in Mexico City on May 11-14, 1999, the international community of disaster experts agree that there is a pressing need to establish a Global Disaster Information Network(hereinafter called DGIN), to harness the technological revolution to facilitate and enhance the global sharing of disaster management information.
4. Recognizging this need, a consensus Declaration was developed, based on consultations with government agencies, UN disaster agencies, the World Bank, OECD, the EC, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, and disaster experts around the world.
5. Therefore, the international community of disaster experts have endorsed this Declaration at the GDIN 2000 Conference in Ankara, Turkey, on April 28, 2000. This endorsement represens the views of the experts as individuals; it does not necessarily reflect the views of their agencies, organizations, or companies. This endorsement reflects a majority vote taken at the Conference; no signatures are required.
6. Notwithstanding any language in this Declaration to the contrary, it is understood that nothing in the Declaration should be construed to give rise to any international legal rights or obligations for any GDIN participant.

1. Increasing awareness of the need for and knowledge of the methods of civil protection against disasters.
2. Adapt remote sensing, computer, communication, information, and network technologies to acquire, produce, and disseminate emerging management, data, information, and knowledge.
3. Promote the development of national infrastructures to access, manage, and disseminate disaster information in a digital format.
4. Foster the sharing of disaster prevention, mitigation, planning, response and recovery information through national and international networks.
5. Facilitate development and foster adoption of mutually-agreed interoperability and metadata standards to support global sharing of disaster information.
6. Provide emerging management information and support services as directed by GDIN's governing body.

1. The provision of information is entirely voluntary; however, such content should be formatted so as to be compatible with mutually-agreed GDIN standards.
2. Mandates, decision authorities, and responsibilities should remain with local, regional, and national information users.
3. Disaster information should be managed in accordance with mutually-agreed best practices and principles.
4. While recognizing copyright, intellectual property, and security concerns, disaster information should be provided with minimal cost and restrictions.
5. The Tampere Convention on the Provision of Emergency Telecommunications should be fostered, to enhance disaster telecommunications.
6. GDIN should complement and partner with, not supplant, existing disaster information networks, to leverage the advantages of new technologies.

1. Making information more readily available when, where, and as needed. Lowering the cost of producing, providing, and using disaster information.
2. Leveraging the efforts of existing disaster information and relief networks.
3. Supporting more timely and better co-ordinated disaster response.
4. Creating synergy to enable the production of new kinds of information.
5. Increasing public awareness of how to plan for and respond to disasters.
6. Expanding our base of knowledge about disaster planning and mitigation.

1. International organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
2. Governments that are members of the United Nations.
3. National, regional, and local disaster management agencies.
4. Disaster organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, and Non-Governmental Organizations.
5. Private industry, such as companies and consultants that provide disaster-related products and services.
6. The academic community including universities, schools and research institutes related to emergency management.
7. Recognized experts, such as managers, scientists, policy analysts, technical specialists and government officials.

1. Providing information - All activities undertaken by providers should be voluntary and as they deem appropriate. Information providers should be responsible for: managing information assets, acquiring data, transforming data into information, synthesizing new knowledge, disseminating information products, providing access to content, providing search capability, and adapting content to GDIN standards.
2. Using information - Information users should determine what information they need, appropriate formats, and how they use it. Information users should be responsible for: searching for information, accessing and transferring it to their repositories, interpreting and adapting the information to their needs, using it as they deem appropriate, and all consequences of using the information, including restricting further dissemination, as appropriate.
3. Managing information - GDIN should promote, facilitate, coordinate, and support the provision of information by providers and access by users. GDIN should act as an information broker and manager, to integrate providers and users into a disaster information community, to facilitate information sharing through an information infrastructure, and to assist users in finding and adapting content to their specific needs.
4. Linking to information - GDIN should not replace, duplicate, compete with, or supplant existing global disaster information initiatives such as ReliefWeb, HazardNet, or the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent. Rather it should leverage its efforts by supporting and linking to existing global disaster information networks. GDIN should focus on adding value to existing information and networks.

1. GDIN is managed by three bodies - An Executive Committee, the Annual Conference, and a Funding Committee.
2. The Executive Committee should provide oversight for GDIN and the Secretariat by ensuring that directions from the Annual Conference and the Funding Committee are implemented. It should also oversee and coordinate the activities of the various working groups. The Executive Committee should comprise seven members - two each from the Annual Conference Organizing Committee, the Funding Committee, and Working Group Chairs, and the Executive Director. Decisions should be based on a consensus of members of the Executive Committee.
3. The Annual Conference should establish GDIN goals, and objectives, policies, operating procedures, and the types and providers of GDIN services. The Conference should be hosted by a country or disaster organization; the host and location should change annually. The Conference should be organized and executed by a Conference Committee, chaired by the host. It should comprise Chairs of the immediately previous and succeeding conferences, Chair of the Funding Committee, Chairs of GDIN Working Groups, the GDIN Executive Director, and other members, as the Annual Conference or Conference Committee may deem appropriate. Direction from the Conference should be based on a majority vote of attending delegates. The Conference Committee should prepare a report of the Conference findings and recommendations. At the close of each Conference, the venue for the year after the next one should be selected.
4. The Funding Committee should oversee and direct disbursements from a GDIN fund. The Chair should be elected by the Funding Committee. Organizations that provide 5% or more of GDIN core funding should have one representative with one vote on the Funding Committee. Organizations contributing less than 5% may pool their contributions to have one representative with one vote on the Committee. The Executive Director of GDIN, the GDIN fund manager, and the Working Group Chairs should be non-voting observers of the Funding Committee. Decisions should be based on a consensus of committee members.

1. Working Groups: These are groups of experts established by the Annual Conferences to accomplish specific goals and objectives on behalf of GDIN. Terms of reference for each working group should be approved and reviewed by the Conferences. Working Groups should report progress, accomplishments, findings, recommendations, etc. to the Conferences. The Conference may appoint a Chair or allow a Working Group to select a Chair. Travel expenses should normally be incurred by Working Group members. Working Groups may, however, request funds from the GDIN Fund to support cash expenditures or to pay travel costs for essential experts.
2. Executive Director: The primary role of the GDIN Executive Director should be to implement directions received from GDIN's governing bodies. The Director should recommend actions and activities as well as report on progress and accomplishments to these bodies annually. The Director should supervise the GDIN Secretariat staff. The Director should represent GDIN at international disaster fora and at key meetings of international disaster organizations. The Director should assist host countries in organizing and executing the Annual Conference, as needed. The Director should support Working Groups and special projects to facilitate the achievement of milestones and deliverables. The Director should insure that the GDIN Secretariat and the Information Facilitator fulfil their roles and responsibilities. The Director may assist with GDIN fund-raising activities but should have no fiduciary responsibility with respect to the GDIN fund.
3. Information Facilitator: The facilitator should be knowledgeable in managing both disasters and information. The facilitator should assist users in finding information, reformatting it, and adapting it to the specific needs of the users. The facilitator should maintain personal contacts with disaster experts around the world. This service is not intended for normal information searches; rather it is intended to provide assistance with unusual information needs, when normal searches have been unsuccessful. For emergency situations, assistance should be provided in as near to real time as possible; reasonable lead times are anticipated for non-emergencies. The facilitator is not expected to analyze data or maintain a data warehouse or information repository. There should be no cost for the facilitation service; any cost for data or information should be negotiated directly between provider and user. Any international organization or member of GDIN involved in disaster management may request assistance from the information facilitator.
4. Secretariat: A minimal staff should monitor and keep a record of GDIN decisions and activities. It should provide administrative, clerical, and staff support for the governing bodies, Working Groups, the Executive Director, and the Information Facilitator. It should maintain a GDIN presence on the World-Wide Web and load data and information on to a Web site as directed by the Annual Conference; it should maintain links to approved disaster web sites around the world; it should create and maintain a database of disaster experts associated with GDIN. The Secretariat should post records of GDIN meetings, decisions, and activities on the Web site.

1. Contributions: Funding for GDIN should be through voluntary grants and contributions. Any organization interested in sharing disaster information may contribute to GDIN. Donors to GDIN may place conditions on the use of their contributions. GDIN fund should be established to accept and administer contributions. Contributions may also be made directly to any person or organization for approved GDIN services or projects. The fund should be administered by a fund manager, as directed by the Funding Committee. The Fund Manager should also recommend processes for its upkeep and growth, including finding donors.
2. Budget: An annual operating budget should be prepared by the Fund Manager and submitted to the Funding Committee. The Committee should review the budget for compliance with directions from the previous Annual Conference and the availability of operating funds; it may accept or modify the proposed budget. The Committee should evaluate the previous year's expenses for conformity with the budget.
3. Operations: The fund should be divided into two parts - normal operations and special projects. Recurring GDIN expenses should be classed as normal operations. This includes costs of the Annual Conference in excess of those assumed by participants and the host country. It also includes the cost of running the GDIN Secretariat, the Executive Director and Information Facilitator, travel to GDIN events by a limited number of essential experts, GDIN services, and other recurring activities or services authorized by the Annual Conference or the Funding Committee.
4. Projects: Available funds in excess of those required for normal GDIN operations should be allocated to special projects. These projects should have specific milestones, and deliverables and should not be funded on a continuing basis. They may, however, have a life in excess of one year. Proposals for funding special projects should be submitted to a committee of experts who should evaluate and prioritize all proposals and make funding recommendations to the Funding Committee.

GDIN 2000 Conference: As the Ankara Declaration will not have been previously endorsed, a flexible amendment process maximizes opportunities for input from disaster agencies and experts.

1. Pre-Conference drafts of the Declaration have been posted on the World-Wide Web to allow interested experts to review and comment prior to the conference.
2. The Conference draft will be posted on the Web one week prior to the Conference. A paper copy will be given to each participant upon registration.
3. The draft Declaration will be presented on the morning of day 1 of the Conference at a plenary session. This will be followed by a plenary discussion.
4. A 3-person Drafting Committee has been established prior to the Conference. Participation on this Committee will be open to anyone attending the conference.
5. Committee members will receive written proposed changes from Conference participants until 5 pm on day 2 of the Conference. The language of submission should be English.
6. The Committee will consider all proposed changes and may modify the Declaration, as they deem appropriate.
7. Updated versions of the Declaration will be provided to Conference participants on the mornings of day 2 and day 3 of the Conference.
8. A revised draft of the Declaration will be presented at a plenary session day 3 of the Conference.
9. A majority vote by Conference participants will indicate endorsement of the Declaration.

Subsequent GDIN Conferences: Once the Declaration has been endorsed, amendments should require a more formal process for consideration.

1. Proposed amendments to the Declaration should be submitted to the GDIN Executive Committee at least two months prior to the Annual Conference.
2. The Executive Committee should consider all proposals. It may endorse proposed amendments, according to the Committee's judgement of their merits.
3. All endorsed amendments should be posted on the GDIN Web site at least one month prior to the Conference.

Amendments to the Declaration should be processed during the Annual GDIN Conference in the same way as the Declaration (previous steps 3 to