TEHRAN –The four projects proposed by volunteers of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) have been selected among top 100 projects presented in Solferino Academy competition.

The Solferino Academy is an initiative of the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its member national societies that aims to help the Red Cross and Red Crescent network anticipate, understand and adapt to trends and emerging issues.

The IFRC Solferino Academy serves as an exceptional opportunity that brings together youth volunteers and staff aged 18 to 30 to showcase their talents, knowledge, skills, and innovative projects.

The projects were proposed by Hadi Ahmadi, Nariman Samadzadeh, Setayesh Halimi, and Parisa Zomorodi.

The preliminary part of the competition was held with the participation of 21,000 people (team or individual) from all over the world which lasted for 6 months. 

The proposed projects were judged by the international referees, and finally  100 innovative designs were chosen.

The projects proposed by the IRCS focused on utilizing artificial intelligence in line with the environmental objectives, preserving the environment, and dealing with climate change impacts. 

These projects use modern technologies to predict climate change impacts with high precision. They aim at raising awareness, and boosting resilience towards enormous and destructive effects of climate change, and the scarcity of water resources in the world. 

Solferino Academy

The Solferino Academy supports the IFRC Network in transformation for the future so that it may thrive through complex and dynamic changes. 

By so doing, IFRC will more effectively be able to meet the humanitarian and development challenges ahead. It aims to promote cutting edge thinking in humanitarian and development work that can catalyse change and innovation in the sector, support Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders and their National Societies in developing approaches for and implementing changes throughout their National Societies that will enable more innovative, agile and future fit organisations. 

It also explores and supports their experimentation with new and innovative approaches to humanitarian and development work.

IRCS

In September, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) project manager, Faisal Mahboob, lauded the capabilities of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) as outstanding.

The official said he was really impressed by the capacity and the wide range of activities carried out by the IRCS.

“The International Federation will support the activities of the Iranian Red Crescent Society to commence a new phase of collaboration with the society,” Mahboob added, the IRCS website reported.

In May, Pir-hossein Kolivand, head of the IRCS, said the IRCS is recognized as one of the five prominent societies worldwide thanks to its wide range of activities and great achievements both nationally and internationally.

Referring to health, treatment, and rehabilitation as one of the parts of the IRCS activities, Kolivand said the IRCS hospitals, pharmacies, and clinics meet the medical and therapeutic needs of thousands of citizens every day.

The IRCS medical centers abroad are reputable worldwide. As a humanitarian organization, the IRCS is trying to alleviate the suffering of the people involved in accidents, emergencies, and conflicts.

“Today, collaborations with knowledge-based firms have resulted in advancements in manufacturing orthoses, prostheses, artificial organs, and new medications, with plans to extend cooperation to rescue and relief efforts as well,” the official noted.

According to a report  released by the IFRC on the most important achievements of the Iranian Red Crescent Society during January-December 2023, the IRCS continues to tackle the impacts of climate change, program adaptability, and preparedness efforts that have been triggered by the climate crisis.

In 2023, the Iranian Red Crescent worked on tackling climate change by developing community-level adaptation plans through volunteer initiatives and Helal Houses (community-owned Red Crescent Houses), mobilizing health caravans, and implementing early warning systems for heat waves, droughts, and flash floods.

It raised awareness among local communities and staff about climate change, created culturally appropriate educational materials, and enhanced staff capacity for climate-smart programming, the report said.

Additionally, they significantly improved drought-affected communities’ access to clean water and healthcare, as well as their food security and livelihoods.

MT/MG