The Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) has been promoting a culture of disaster reduction by advocating disaster reduction as a core part of government policy and raising public awareness in the Asian Region. ADRC and the Asian Disaster Response Unit of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Kobe (UN-OCHA/Kobe) have developed the Total Disaster Risk Management (TDRM) as an effective and strategic approach to disaster reduction that is based on many years of experience in coping with natural disasters worldwide, particularly in Asia. The concept of TDRM centers around two crucial principles: "the involvement of all stakeholders" and "implementation at all phases of disaster risk management," namely the prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation/reconstruction phases (Figure 2.1). Since damage stems from the combination of hazards, exposure and vulnerability, TDRM, as a holistic approach which covers relevant stakeholders and all phases, is essential in disaster risk management. (ADRC, TDRM: Good Practices (Chapter 2, Outline of TDRM), 2006 p. 2)