IARC holds thematic workshop on exchanges & cooperation on humanitarian affairs
On Nov. 28, 2019, a thematic workshop on exchanges & cooperation on humanitarian affairs with the theme of “To Build a Humanitarian Bridge” opened at the International Academy of Red Cross & Red Crescent (IARC). It was co-sponsored by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) and the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and organized by the IARC.
The opening ceremony was attended by Chen Zhu, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, president of the RCSC and vice president of the IFRC, Jagan Chapagain, deputy secretary-general of the IFRC, Sun Shuopeng and Yu Fulong, vice presidents of the RCSC, Jiang Yong, secretary of the Party Committee of Soochow University, Yang Yixin, vice president of Soochow University, Gwendolyn Tan Pang, director of the East Asia Representative Office of the IFRC, representatives from the Red Cross societies of 11 countries, i.e. Canada, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Egypt and Yemen, as well as more than 70 students from home and abroad.
Before the opening ceremony, the attendees went to the Soochow University Museum to watch the thematic exhibition entitled “Post-Catastrophe: From 1937 Nanjing Memory to 1949 Shielding Civilization--Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Geneva Convention”. The exhibition was co-sponsored by the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, the IARC, the RCSC Jiangsu Branch and the RCSC Nanjing Branch. It was composed of four parts, i.e. “The Consensus of Shielding Civilization”, “Bottom Line of Humanity: Respecting Life”, “Humanitarian Consciousness across National Borders”, and “Links after Catastrophe”.
Jiang Yong delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. He expressed his gratitude to Chen Zhu, leaders of the RCSC, the CRCF and the IFRC, and other guests at the ceremony for their care and support for the development of the IARC. He pointed out that the exhibition was held in a bid to memorize the history, cherish peace and advocate the spirit of humanity, fraternity and dedication. He expressed his belief that with strong support of the RCSC and the CRCF, the IARC will achieve leapfrog development and contribute more wisdom and strength to the development of the Red Cross cause with Chinese characteristics and the international Red Cross movement.
Zhang Jianjun, curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders and executive director of Institute of Nanjing Massacre History and International Peace Studies, noted in his speech that the memorial hall has tried to express gratitude to international friends who helped Chinese people in the Nanjing Massacre by compiling the “Nanjing Will Never Forget” series and inviting their descendants to the national memorial ceremonies for the massacre victims. The Geneva Convention laid down the foundation for international humanitarian law and is one of the three cornerstones of the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Zhang said, adding that this has been universally recognized by the international community. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Convention. Hence the exhibition has been curated in a bid to memorize the history and cherish peace.
Later, the opening ceremony of the thematic workshop on exchanges & cooperation on humanitarian affairs was held in the auditorium of Bell Tower. The ceremony was presided over by Wang Rupeng, dean of the IARC.
Participants watched the video named “Co-Building a Humanitarian Educational System Shared by all” and the seven fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement were read out at the ceremony.
Chen Zhu delivered a keynote speech entitled “To Build a Humanitarian Bridge and Co-build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”. He remarked that this workshop was the IARC’s first humanitarian education and exchange activity with its peers of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It is another important activity co-hosted by the RCSC and the IFRC after the Seminar on International Humanitarian Exchanges and Cooperation in Suzhou in 2018 to strengthen international humanitarian cooperation and exchanges and to promote the sustainable and healthy development of humanitarian undertakings in the new era. He said that coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the IFRC, this workshop was held to pay tribute to those who devoted their efforts, wisdom and lives to the Red Cross movement, to honor the contributions of the IFRC, and to remind us not to forget our original humanitarian aspirations.
Chen Zhu highlighted the importance of thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech and emphasized the need to further strengthen humanitarian communication and collaboration and join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century and a complex and severe humanitarian crisis, so members of the Red Cross Movement must strengthen communication with each other from the perspective of building a community with a shared future for mankind, fully understand the necessity and urgency of joint efforts, promote the coordination of humanitarian affairs, and form a multi-faceted governance system featuring multiple resource supplies and coordinated humanitarian actions.
Chen Zhu pointed out that we should attach great importance to humanitarian education and personnel training, continuously strengthen our own capacity building, and work together to promote the sustainable and healthy development of humanitarian causes. Special attention should be paid to the training of youth staff, which helps shape the future of the Red Cross Movement.
Jagan Chapagain addressed to the ceremony on behalf of the organizer. In his speech entitled “Centennial Review and Future Prospect of the IFRC”, he reviewed different periods in the 100-year history of the federation and talked about its positioning and development plan in the new era. Conrad Sauv, president of the Canadian Red Cross, told the story of Dr. Norman Bethune and introduced the development of the Canadian Red Cross. Zhou Youma, chairman of the Ma Haide Foundation, shared the story of his father, Mr. George Hatem, an internationalist fighter known in China by his Chinese name, Ma Haide, who devoted his life to the Chinese health industry.
The 3-day workshop organized by the IARC offered participants a platform to share experience, enhance understanding and consensus, and strengthen friendship. Conrad Sauv, president of the Canadian Red Cross, Yasin Ahmed Abbas, head of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, Zhou Youma, chairman of the Ma Haide Foundation, Kira Suleimanyan, director of the cooperation department of the East Asia Representative Office of the ICRC, and representatives of the national Red Cross societies of Afghanistan, Mongolia, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Myanmar, Yemen, Malaysia, and Nepal held discussions on topics such as “‘Belt and Road’ humanitarian cooperation”, “Humanitarian actions in armed conflicts”, and “Opportunities and challenges of humanitarian undertakings in the Asia-Pacific region”. Participants also visited the Red Cross community workstations in Suzhou.
The Suzhou-based IARC is the first Red Cross academy in the world which is dedicated to theoretical research, talent training, cultural communication, academic exchanges, and international cooperation of the Red Cross Movement. This thematic workshop is the first international seminar organized by the academy since its establishment on Aug. 31, 2019. The IARC also hosted the first Training Session for the Chinese Red Cross Youth Staff from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 in 2019.
