TEHRAN –Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pirhossein Kolivand, has departed the country to attend the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which will be held from October 28 to 31 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The official is scheduled to hold meetings with the president of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), the secretary general of the ICRC, and the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), to share expertise and enhance joint activities.

He will also hold a meeting with the secretary general of the IFRC, focusing on ways to provide aid to the war-torn areas in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as to end the war.

Submitting documentation regarding the violation of humanitarian rights to international forums, setting up a field hospital, and following up on the Israeli attack on the IRCS filed hospital are among the other main objectives of attending the conference.

The fifty-six-bed hospital, established to assist displaced Lebanese on the Syrian-Lebanese border, was clearly marked with the Red Crescent flag and symbols. Despite this, the Israeli attack left the facility and its supplies, including food, medicines, and medical equipment, completely destroyed.

Iran has vehemently condemned Israel’s attack on a medical facility on the Syria-Lebanon border, labeling it a “clear example of war crimes.”

The IRCS has so far dispatched four humanitarian shipments to Lebanon and Gaza.

On Wednesday, October 16, the IRCS dispatched 100 trucks carrying humanitarian aid including essential items, food-stuff, as well as medicine to war-affected people in Lebanon and Syria.

Following that, 35 trucks carrying 350 tons of urgently needed medical items were sent to Lebanon.

Intl. Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 

The International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent will present a critical opportunity to focus on concrete humanitarian solutions for some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

The conference is co-organized by the ICRC and IFRC. It is a unique event, where States and the members of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement converge.

Right now, global divisions dominate headlines. By contrast, the International Conference is a platform for collaboration and dialogue. Its apolitical nature ensures that the focus remains steadfastly on humanitarian action and our collective commitment to save lives and alleviate suffering. Discussions will focus particularly on compliance with international humanitarian law; enhancing the protection of civilians and humanitarians; the promotion of sustainable locally-led humanitarian action; anticipation, preparation and adaptation in the face of the climate challenge, the importance of ‘disaster law’; the impact of digital technologies in warfare.

By bringing diverse voices together – including representatives from 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 196 States party to the Geneva Convention – the International Conference serves as a vital space where humanitarians and governments can come together, set aside differences, and focus on a shared responsibility to protect and help those in need.

The International Conference will be immediately preceded by two other Red Cross Red Crescent Statutory Meetings. 

The first of these, from 23-25 October, is the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). 

Next, from October 27-28, comes the Council of Delegates of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. There will also be a Red Cross Red Crescent Global Youth Forum, a one-day event on October 22.

MT/MG

Photo: Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pirhossein Kolivand, in an undated photo