Robert Mardini made the remarks speaking in the 100th anniversary of the Iranian Red Crescent Culture in Tehran.
The comprehensive textual content of ICRC Main speech is as follows:
Excellencies, women and gentlemen,
It is an honour and a privilege to be right here in Tehran on the occasion of the Iranian Pink Crescent Society’s 100th anniversary. My honest thanks to Dr Kolivand and everyone at the IRCS for the invitation and warm welcome – and my heartfelt congratulations on reaching this grand aged age!
It is fair to say that today’s world-wide humanitarian landscape bears minimal resemblance to the just one in 1922, when the IRCS was founded. This was a time when peace was currently being consolidated right after the horrors of the Initial Planet War, when there was an overwhelming sentiment of “never all over again.” It was a time when the peacetime position of Countrywide Societies was growing, serving a selection of desires largely on a community level.
Quickly forward 100 yrs and the humanitarian atmosphere is significantly elaborate and unpredictable, in every single component of the environment. We see surprising emergencies erupt alongside drawn-out armed conflicts. We see local climate adjust, pure disasters, pandemics, urbanisation, migration and socio-economic crises adding additional misery to people today already struggling chronic hardship. And we see increasing constraints on humanitarian actors remaining ready to react properly to huge requires. The politicisation of aid, misinformation, cyber-assaults, shrinking means and restrictive measures are just a number of illustrations.
But some factors have not altered about the previous 100 years, and even just before, when the ICRC was born in 1863. Henry Dunant, who witnessed the carnage on the battlefield at Solferino, recognised the need for organised humanitarian reduction, for skilled volunteers and for health care services that would treat wounded soldiers on each sides of the frontline. He also recognised the need for global cooperation to attain this. The development of the ICRC and subsequently of national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies observed the advancement of concerted and coordinated humanitarian motion for war victims, on the basis of worldwide humanitarian law.
The idea of neutral, impartial and impartial humanitarian motion carried out below the defense of unique emblems lies at the extremely heart of the Crimson Cross and Crimson Crescent Movement – as a lot now as it did then. The need to prevent and reduce suffering – anywhere it is located – and to uphold humanity and dignity, even in the darkest moments, underpins all the things we do. Functioning jointly, leveraging the complementary roles of each individual portion of the Movement, and placing persons at the centre of what we do is possibly extra vital than ever, offered the massive scale of desires with which we are confronted, regionally and globally.
Against this backdrop, the IRCS has absent from strength to strength about the a long time, offering humanitarian products and services in a lot of normal and person-designed disasters. These days, we are happy to see you as a strong member of the Purple Cross and Crimson Crescent Motion – with comprehensive capacities in Aid and Rescue, Wellbeing, and Bodily Rehabilitation, amongst some others.
We at ICRC dearly benefit our lengthy-standing partnership with the IRCS in Iran. An early example of our cooperation was all through the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and outside of, when we oversaw the repatriation of numerous hundreds of prisoners of war. We facilitated the exchange of thousands and thousands of messages in between these prisoners and their households, with the assistance of the IRCS.
As a extra present example, past year, together with the IRCS and the Worldwide Federation, we labored collectively on the Motion Contingency System for Afghan migrants in Iran. In just this
framework, just one of the quite a few pursuits supported and funded by ICRC was the provision of lifesaving oxygen concentrators for COVID-19 patients. The COVID vaccination travel by the IRCS was another, benefiting Afghan migrants and their hosts in four provinces of the country.
We would incredibly a great deal like to see our partnership with the IRCS produce and fortify continue to even further. There is no lack of humanitarian challenges and prospects on which we can make, with each other. Responding to the safety and help requirements of undocumented migrants who are continuing to arrive from Afghanistan is 1. This builds on Iran’s lengthy historical past and encounter of internet hosting and aiding hundreds of thousands of migrants. Expanding and deepening our exchanges and discussions with the Countrywide Committee on Humanitarian Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a different. And viewing how we can cooperate properly past the borders of Iran is still yet another.
As we all know, a lot of of today’s armed conflicts have regional if not international repercussions, none additional so than the a person in Ukraine. The ripple consequences of the conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan carry on to be felt far over and above their possess borders, not the very least in this article in Iran.
We now love an open up and very constructive dialogue with the Iranian authorities on our mutual humanitarian concerns in these contexts, for which we are extremely grateful. We are eager for this to not only continue but to increase further. We are also keen to explore more partnership opportunities with the IRCS in other nations where by it is, or plans to be, operational.
Wanting in advance, the Council of Delegates will be using spot in Geneva in just a couple of weeks’ time. A central subject will be how we can do far better and more alongside one another as a Movement to boost our collective effects for men and women in want. We all need to have to clearly show that we are walking the communicate of a collaborative, inclusive technique. with the Countrywide Society at the centre.
The extra value and success of our Pink Pillar depends on how we are able to leverage our complementary strengths: we will have to make most effective use of our complementary mandates, expertise and capacities. Listed here, I imagine the Motion family members in Iran has a lot to be very pleased of. Allow us more cement our sturdy foundations and go on to construct.
Permit me to conclude by reiterating my warmest congratulations – to all the team and volunteers of the IRCS – on this landmark anniversary. To the establishment as a entire, I want you each success for the upcoming 100 several years!
Thank you
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