NewsletterCCM no.18_ENG

ACTIVITIES VOLUNTEERS CORNER

N E W S L E T T E R

page 6 page 4

nº 18 1st

quarter 2014

‘Volunteering as a vector

of social cohesion’

Salam Khorshid, Syrian Arab Red Crescent

volunteer and Youth Commission member

The journey of the ‘Flag of Solidarity’

Page 8

Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean

2

CONTENTS

page

EDITORIAL

Bridging the gap towards Intergenerational Dialogue 3

ACTIVITIES

Volunteering as a vector for social cohesion 4

Youth Engagement and Leadership in Atlantis X 4

6th Photo Contest for Youth in the Mediterranean:

Youth Engagement in the Red Cross and Red

Crescent Movement 5

VOLUNTEERS CORNER

Salam Khorshid, Syrian Arab Red Crescent

volunteer and IFRC Youth Commission member 6

PARTNERSHIP

The journey of the ‘Flag of Solidarity’ 8

9th European Regional Red Cross and Red Crescent

Conference 10

Red Cross/Red Crescent Mediterranean Platform on

Migration 10

PERCO Meeting 10

Plus Europe Association and CCM 11

CCM collaboration in the IFRC Youth Engagement

Strategy (Y.E.S.) 11

Youth Engagement in North Africa through the words

of Fatima Zahra Hadri - Moroccan Red Crescent 12

Editorial Board

CCM

Briody J, Addison

Castriotta, Luigi Angelo

Comas Uriz, Santiago

David, Isabelle

Dézarnaud, Cédric

Fraile Rodríguez, Eduardo

García Roca, Àngels

Llobet Méndez, Néstor

Pardo Fernández, Laura

Vico Martínez, Sonia

With the collaboration of:

Fatima Zahra Hadri,

Moroccan Red Crescent

volunteer

Salam Khorshid,

SARC volunteer, Youth

Commission member

Photos by:

Elkabir, Abdessamie

Ficociello, Daniele

García, Jose Ramón

Malla, Ibrahim

Croatian Red Cross

IFRC

ICRC

Cover Photo: Delivery of the Croatian Red Cross flag to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent

volunteers (© Croatian RC; © Jose Ramón García; © Ibrahim Malla, IFRC)

Newsletter | nº 18 | 1st quarter | 2014

3

EDITORIAL

In the context of the current economic crisis, the need to promote social inclusion and face

emerging vulnerabilities, as stated in Strategy 2020 of the International Federation of Red

Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is one of the urgent imperatives that National

Societies are called to respond to, in the constant search for innovative and effective

solutions that may improve communities' resilience.

Amongst those directly affected by the social effects of crisis are young adults, the elderly,

and children who are living in poverty and struggling to have their basic daily needs

covered, as underlined by the report recently published by Caritas* and concerning

countries whose National Societies are part of the Mediterranean Conference such as

Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus.

In the given scenario, promoting volunteering as the essential backbone of our Movement

and joining forces to implement new initiatives - as well as support the sustainability of

programmes already underway - becomes crucial to face common challenges.

Following its mission to promote partnership and the exchange of experiences among Red

Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, and building on strategic alliances that may

provide the floor for the replication of best practices at regional level, the CCM and the

Spanish Red Cross will carry out the seminar 'Bridging the gap towards intergenerational

dialogue: volunteering as a vector of social cohesion', to be held in Madrid from the 23rd

to the 25th of May.

* According to the report, child poverty in the EU is increasing and now tops 22%. Child poverty in Spain reaches

29.9%. The country is ranked second after Romania. Bulgaria and Greece are ranked third and fourth (http://www.caritas.eu/about-caritas-europa/publications).

Bridging the gap towards intergenerational dialogue


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ACTIVITIES

A seminar focused on social cohesion and

intergenerational dialogue will be organized by the CCM

and the Spanish Red Cross between May 23rd

and 25th.

Under the title “Bridging the gap towards intergenerational

dialogue: Volunteering as a vector of Social cohesion" the

programme will pay specific attention to the application

and impact of information and communication technology

in volunteering and volunteer management, as well as in

programme development. Through plenary sessions and

by exchanging best practices, National Societies are

expected to acquire new skills and knowledge that will

support them in the implementation of new programmes in

their local context. This process could prove to be

instrumental in improving living conditions and promoting

the social inclusion of vulnerable groups.

As underlined in the Dubrovnik Declaration of the last

Mediterranean Conference of the Red Cross and Red

Crescent, the economic crisis that has hit the

Mediterranean region in the past years has made

exclusion and poor living conditions a reality for many

people, and joint action at regional level is required to

counteract the social effects of the economic crisis.

However, we are also living in a digital era and this

seminar aims to delve into it to take a longer look at how

information and communication technologies (ICT) may

make a difference in the fight against social exclusion and

the promotion and management of volunteering as a

means of social cohesion. Promoting interaction, mutual

understanding and the exchange of knowledge among

generations through volunteering may provide a soothing

ground to counteract the effects of the crisis, and ICT

prove to be a crucial tool in this process.

The seminar, which will count, among others, on the

participation of the IFRC, the European Anti-Poverty

Network and the Vodafone Foundation, will take place in

Madrid and it will be co-organized by the CCM and the

Spanish Red Cross (Volunteering Department, Spanish

Red Cross Youth, with the support of the Social

Intervention Department as well as the Social Innovation

Department).

Date: 23-25 May

Venue: Spanish RC Headquarters,

For further information visit the CCM webpage at:

h t t p : / / w w w . m e d i t e r r a n e u m r c . o r g / p o r t a l / p a g e ?

_pageid=174,45008541,174_45008542&_dad=portal30&_schem

a=PORTAL30

Youth leading by example and acting as agents of change

within their communities are some of the aspects that will

be tackled during the 10th edition of the annual RC/RC

Mediterranean Youth Camp Atlantis, organized by the

CCM in collaboration with the Italian Red Cross under the

name “Red Cross/Red Crescent Youth as active leaders

in their National Societies and local communities”. From

June 18th to 26

th, volunteers form the region will gather to

consolidate their capacities as leaders in Jesolo, near

Venice, at the Foresteria Casa di Croce Rossa.

Atlantis X places emphasis on promoting Youth

leadership along with Youth engagement.

The Camp programme aims to empower participants to

build and consolidate their leadership capacities while

inspiring others to do the same. This empowerment will

allow youth to truly engage with their communities and give

them the necessary skills to put into practice new initiatives

and creative ideas. The year 2014 marks the 10th

anniversary of Atlantis, and for this reason the Camp will

be hosted by the Italian

Red Cross which also

hosted the very first

edition of Atlantis.

Keep reading on the following

page

© Daniele Ficociello

Youth Engagement and Leadership in Atlantis X

Volunteering as a vector of social cohesion

http://www.mediterraneumrc.org/portal/page?_pageid=174,45008541,174_45008542&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30




5

ACTIVITIES

This experience will allow him or her to make valuable

connections while learning how to promote the

engagement, empowerment, and leadership of youth in

the region. During Atlantis the best photos will be exhibited

for the entire week, demonstrating how youth can be

engaged in their society in a variety of different ways.

For further information:

http://www.mediterraneumrc.org/portal/page?


a=PORTAL30

Youth Engagement in the Red Cross and Red Crescent

Movement was the theme of 6th edition of the

Mediterranean Youth Photo Contest launched by the CCM.

In accordance with the IFRC’s Youth Engagement

Strategy, the CCM asked for photos displaying youth as

leader, volunteers or beneficiaries, which represent the

three possible scenarios of active youth participation within

the Movement.

The Photo Contest is aimed at promoting the idea of Youth

as Agents of positive change. Participants are invited to

take their camera and observe and witness the positive

effect of youth and volunteering in our Mediterranean

surroundings.

Youth represent both the present and the future of the

Movement and of National Societies, and this contest

offered an opportunity for participants to reflect on the

impact youth have on communities, and on how one’s

personal actions may affect society.

The winner, which will be officially announced in the weeks

to come, will get the opportunity to participate in the Youth

Camp Atlantis X to be held in Jesolo (Italy) this June,

together with other young delegates from many other

National Societies in the Mediterranean region.

Furthermore the CCM and the Italian Red

Cross have thought of doing something

very special to celebrate the anniversary,

by giving participants the opportunity to

take part in the 'Fiaccolata', the eight-

kilometre torch lit walk which

commemorates the distance walked by

all those who, following the battle of

Solferino in 1859, helped the injured on

both sides of the battlefield (from the

armies of imperial Austria and the Franco

-Sardinian alliance) to reach Castiglione

and receive aid, and which symbolises

the birth of the International Red Cross

and Red Crescent Movement thanks to

the initiative of Henry Dunant.

The CCM and the Italian RC will continue working hard in

the next few weeks as Atlantis X approaches quickly.

Much is left to be done to ensure that the Camp runs as

smoothly as possible, and that the participants leave

feeling better equipped to become leaders in their own

communities.

6th

Photo Contest for Youth in the Mediterranean: ‘Engaged Youth for Stronger National Societies’

Date:18-26 Junio

Venue: Foresteria Casa di Croce Rossa, Jesolo, Italy


h t t p : / / w w w . m e d i t e r r a n e u m r c . o r g / p o r t a l / p a g e ?


a=PORTAL30

© ICRC/M.Kokic/V-P-IT-E-00075

© Abdessamie Elkabir . Moroccan Red Crescent Winner of the 4th

Photo Contest


6

Salam Khorshid, Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer and IFRC Youth Commission member

When did you start to volunteer in SARC?

The first time I started volunteering was 2005, but I had the

idea for a long time before. I think I was 11 when first I

decided I wanted to be part of SARC.

What happened when you were 11?

I was in an exhibition of books in Damascus, and there was

a SARC media stand. They were giving a comic about

Henry Dunant. I still have it with me. I decided that I wanted

to be part of the history of Solferino and Henry Dunant, it

was really moving for me. That is when I decided that I

wanted to be a volunteer. I tried for many times, but you

know, I was young, and the culture of being a volunteer is

not common here in Syria. But when I finished my school

and I started my professional studies I was old enough, and

I became volunteer in 2005.

What do you do in the Syrian Arab Red Crescent?

I am the Head of HR Department for Youth at the

Damascus Branch and I am trainer of IHL courses inside

SARC.

What is your current occupation?

I am the coordinator of the project between the International

Medical Corps (IMC) and SARC for the first aid centres

inside Damascus.

Do you have any other role inside the Movement?

I am a member of the IFRC Youth Commission, as

representative of the Asia-Pacific and MENA zone. I was

just appointed in November during the Global Youth

Conference of the Movement held in Sydney, even if I could

not go there because I could not have the visa in time.

When was your first international experience inside

the Movement?

In 2010 I went to the Mediterranean Conference held in

Croatia, and I was a representative of SARC. I went

there alone. At that time I was just a volunteer, I did not

have any position. It was really scary, with all the

Presidents of the National Societies, with all the youth

leaders… but I spent 5 days there. When I returned to

Syria I was like another person. It was the first time that I

saw how big the Movement is, it was the first time that I

was part of this. I had to do 2 presentations about SARC

in front of all these people. I am a musician, I play on

stages. But it is not the same when you stand and you

represent your National Society in this Conference. I

returned to Syria with much more confidence. I returned

to Syria to tell other volunteers that everyone outside

Syria, that all the people, all the volunteers around the

world know about them and I think the youth volunteers

in SARC have quite a reputation outside Syria; it is really

a great reputation.

Did you have any other international experience? If

so, what can you tell us about it?

Yes, the second time it was in Geneva. It was my first

meeting with the Youth Commission. They have

international experience, because they have been

working in the Youth Commission for two years before

me. So, I am trying to learn, I was observing, I was

paying attention to everything, every little detail.

VOLUNTEERS CORNER

Salam Khorshid is a 28 years old Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer who has let aside her profession to work for the Movement.

Graduated from the Higher Institute of Music, she has volunteered in SARC since 2005, and manages her time leading the Human

Resources Department in Damascus, training International Humanitarian Law (IHL), coordinating the programme between the

International Medical Corps and SARC and, since the Global Youth Conference in 2013, she is also a member of the IFRC Youth

Commission.

Toys collecting campaign, 2008 © SARC

Interview with the national TV about a children’s choir , 2010

©SARC


7

VOLUNTEERS CORNER

What is the most significant experience that you’ve

had?

I have learnt so much form SARC, from the Movement. I

changed a lot; I am not the same person that started

volunteering in 2005. The field work is the biggest

experience I had. When you are working on the field you

get in contact with the people, with the people’s needs. As

a volunteer, I had so many experiences during crisis,

during war, we had difficult situations. I think this is what

changes the life of anyone, even if you live one situation

only. But no, we started with the Iraq war, Lebanon, Gaza,

and now the Syria crisis. You learn so much from this. You

gain confidence when you are volunteering in SARC or the

Movement. You have the ability to help people in reality, it

is not only dreams. I can help; it is not just daydreaming

about it. You have the chance to do this, to help people.

That’s it, the field work is the most significant experience.

Unfortunately, I am not working in the field right now, but I

want to get back some day.

Did you find what you expected in SARC?

Honestly, no. Let’s go back to when I was 11 and to 2005. I

was expecting the city of Plato (Utopia). I was searching

for this city. I thought I would find it in the Movement, but

after I became a part of this Movement, I realised that we

are in the real world; there is no such thing as city of

Utopia. But we are trying as a Movement, I know, there

are trying to be, to reach the perfection. We are trying to

help people, 100%. But, this is reality.

Which message would you give to the volunteers?

You can say many things to

volunteers.

After participating in all the

activities that SARC did, I

can say to the volunteers: be

the change. You can be the

change, you can do

something, it is not only on

papers. The volunteers are

the only thing that brings the

words on the papers to

actual work. They are the

main force. Everything about

this Movement is about the

volunteers. They are the

most important asset in this

Movement, and they can

change everything they

want, they can do anything

they want. First Aid training, 2008 ©SARC

What does it mean to receive the support from

volunteers from other National Societies?

Volunteers from SARC are really happy with this. We are

working 24 hours 7 days a week. We are in danger,

everyone in Syria is in danger right now, but the

volunteers, they have this priority, we have to help people,

and we have to help anyone who needs help. So, any

small action the other volunteers from other National

Societies do, it is really big for volunteers from SARC. In

our centres we have these photos, we have… I think, it is

the Netherlands Red Cross... they started this campaign

with the heart with your hands. They collected many

photos. We printed those photos and put them in the

centres, so every time we are in the centre we look at

them and we know we are not alone. Even if they are not

there helping us physically, they are there emotionally.

Even though we are from different National Societies,

there is this big thing that brings us together: the

Movement. We are the same.

All volunteers, the SARC volunteers, the Red Cross

volunteers from any place in the world, they share the

same pain, they share the same hope, they share the

same work, and they share the same principles. This is

really important for SARC volunteers.

Related links:

IFRC Youth Commission

h t t p : / / w w w . i f r c . o r g / e n / w h a t - w e - d o / y o u t h / y o u t h -

development/youth-commission/

Toys collecting campaign, 2008 © SARC


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PARTNERSHIP

The journey of the 'Flag of Solidarity'

A flag with messages of encouragement -crafted by the

volunteers of the Croatian Red Cross- was delivered to

the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) by the Vice-

President of the International Federation of the Red Cross

and Red Crescent, Mr. Francesco Rocca. The flag was

given to several SARC volunteers who were attending a

training in Sahnaya, south of Damascus, on the day that

marked the 3rd

year from the start of the conflict in Syria.

Salam Khorshid, SARC volunteer and member of the

IFRC Youth Commission, underlined the importance "of

all actions carried out by volunteers of other National

Societies" for the Syrian volunteers who "work 24 hours a

day and 7 days a week in danger, and with the priority of

assisting anyone in need". She stressed the importance

for them of "knowing that they are not alone", and that

"even though we come from different National Societies,

there is something bigger that unites us: the Movement".

Source: CCM

Kristina Repusic, a Croatian Red Cross volunteer, is the

mind behind the idea of the flag. Kristina participated in the

Youth Camp Atlantis VIII held in Andorra in 2012.

During Atlantis, she participated in a session organized by

three former SARC volunteers who collaborate with the

CCM- in memory of the volunteers who lost their lives

during the conflict in Syria. This session was organized to

explain the situation people are facing since the beginning

of the conflict.

As of today, 34 SARC members, both volunteers and staff,

have lost their lives while carrying out their humanitarian

mission.

In Kristina's article -published in our Newsletter no.16- she

stated that the session "brought to us a brutal picture of

the reality that is affecting Syria". During the awareness

session the volunteers from SARC that were helping their

compatriots were remembered. "It was hard for me to

accept the cruel actions that hit our colleagues in Syria"

underlined Kristina.

When she returned home, Krisitna shared the story with

her friends and, during a Red Cross Youth summer school

of the Osječko-Baranjska branch, they gathered more than

150 messages of support and decided to put them

together by making a flag shaped as a parchment. "We

wanted them to know that we know their story and that we

feel their pain".

Atlantis VIII– Awareness session. © CCM


9

Croatian RC volunteers of the Osječko-Baranjska branch showing the flag ©Croatian Red Cross

In 2013, the 9th

edition of Atlantis was held in Bosnia and

Herzegovina, and Kristina took the occasion to bring the

flag to the Camp, where she explained the story of the

idea. She gave the flag to the CCM in order to make it

reach Syria, and to let SARC volunteers know that they

are not alone.

Thanks to the precious help of the Lebanese Red Cross

and of Ibrahim Malla, audio-visual delegate of the IFRC

MENA Zone, the wish of Kristina and the Croatian Red

Cross volunteers, endorsed by all Mediterranean Youth,

come true. On March 13th 2014 the flag was delivered to

SARC.

According to the words of Ibrahim Malla "the Vice-

President Rocca expressed his joy stating that he was

proud to serve as a bridge between the volunteers of the

Croatian Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, to

bring the message of young Europeans that appreciate

and value their humanitarian work".

Atlantis IX– Awareness session. © Jose Ramón García

While holding the flag in her hands and seeing the

messages of support, Julia -one of the SARC volunteers-

said that it is beautiful to see that we have friends,

brothers and sisters that think of us and support us".

Delivery of the ‘flag of solidarity’ to the

SARC volunteers in Sahnaya by IFRC

Vice President, Francesco Rocca.

© Ibrahim Malla_ IFRC MENA Zone


10

9th

European Regional Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference

‘Humanitarian Consequences of the Economic Crisis’ is

the main theme around which the 9th European Regional

Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference will be

celebrated.

The Conference will be hosted by the Italian Red Cross in

the city of Florence, from the 4th to the 6

th of June.

Following the regional priorities affecting a wider Europe -

covering 53 national Red Cross and Red Crescent

Societies, as underlined in the IFRC ‘Think Differently. Act

Differently’ Report - the structure and methodology of the

9th Regional Conference will allow tackling how the

current crisis is affecting the needs of the most

vulnerable, and how National Societies across Europe are

responding to the worsening scenario in the constant

search for innovative solutions.

Six main workshops will be developed under the themes:

‘How is Europe changing? and ‘Crisis as an opportunity’.

The Spanish Red Cross was called among various

National Societies to collaborate in the content drafting of

the background papers of a number workshops.

Amongst them was the ‘New aspects of Migration’

workshop in which the CCM contributed, together with

PERCO; the Anti-trafficking Network, the Russian

Speaking Migration Network; the Psychosocial Support

Network; the IFRC and the ICRC.

Date: June 3-6 2014

Venue: Congress Palace, Florence

For further information: www.rcrceuropeanconference.org

Red Cross/Red Crescent Mediterranean Platform on Migration

Aiming to support the coordination, cooperation and

partnership within the International Red Cross and Red

Crescent Movement in the Mediterranean with regards to

migration, the CCM, together with the IFRC and the ICRC

will convene a meeting in Tunisia in September.

The technical meeting, which will count on the participation

of regional focal points on migration, will be hosted by the

Tunisian Red Crescent and it will aim to tackle the

progress made by the platform's members in the domains

of protection, assistance and advocacy, and how to

coordinate joint actions to have a stronger impact in the

Mediterranean to better respond to increasing needs of

migrants and communities in times of crisis.

The next meeting will also be an opportunity to present the

implementation of one of the Platform's action points: the

exchange on migration programmes which will be

implemented at the end of 2014 and will engage

Mediterranean Red Cross/ Red Crescent National

Societies in 'in person' exchanges which, starting from a

previous analysis made by National Societies, will aim to

foster the exchange of expertise among focal points and

coordinators of migration programmes to build and

reinforce capacities in the domains mentioned above.

Date: September 2014

Venue: Tunis

For further information :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqSqlkKDjeQ

http://www.rcrceuropeanconference.org


11

PARTNERSHIP

PERCO (the Platform for European Red Cross

Cooperation on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants)

met for its first annual meeting in Luxembourg from the 2nd

to the 4th of April. The agenda included updates from the

Platform, the IFRC, the RC/EU Office and the ICRC, as

well as a number of working groups and a specific

workshop on ‘Implementing safeguards at borders: the

role of Red Cross National Societies’, attended by –among

others - the Spanish and the Italian Red Cross. In the

session ‘Update on the situation in the Mediterranean’,

following the presentation of the ‘Red Bell’ Campaign on

anti-trafficking by the Red Cross of Serbia, and the

updates of the Spanish and the Italian Red Cross, the

Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean was

given the opportunity to present the initiative regarding the

Red Cross/Red Crescent Mediterranean Platform on

Migration and its first main action point: the in-person

exchange of migration programmes to be implemented at

the end of 2014. The PERCO meeting set the floor for

further cooperation and engagement of Mediterranean

National Societies and northern European National

Societies’ support in the Platform, proving networking to

be the best way to optimize resources and guarantee the

exchange of information with regards to migration

initiatives hence contributing to National Societies’

capacity building, in benefit of vulnerable migrants.

PERCO Meeting

The CCM and the PLUS EUROPE Association have

signed a collaboration agreement.

The PLUS EUROPE Association, is a civil entity that

represents a contact point between citizens and European

institutions. Its aim is that of promoting a new model of

governance based on mutual respect and on an increased

and more proactive civil participation of European citizens.

Through the creation of strong networks of citizens, civil

entities and professional and business organizations, it

aims at creating a European Civic Alliance that may help

build a more inclusive and democratic Europe.

Both organizations have signed the collaboration agree-

ment with the aim of sharing the know-how and informa-

tion that they have in their specific fields of action, and in

order to join their efforts in the search for synergies that

may help them reach common objectives.


http://www.pluseuropeconference.com/

Plus Europe Association and CCM

CCM collaboration in the IFRC Youth Engagement Strategy (Y.E.S.)

Collaboration is the ability of working together towards a

common aim, building a relation that is based on trust and

mutual understanding. These conditions are the basis on

which the CCM and the Youth Action and Volunteering

Development Department have been working together in

the last year and a half, and that have not only brought

great results, but also increased synergies and team spirit.

Starting with the support in the translation of several

documents, which also counted on the support of the

Spanish Red Cross Youth, the collaboration has brought

the CCM to participate in the workshop on the global

consultation of the IFRC YES in June 2013, and has now

moved one step further, with the development of a

colourful and reader-friendly poster that gives a quick

glimpse on Youth Engagement in the Red Cross and Red

Crescent. This document, which could be considered as a

summary/introduction guide to the main Youth related

documents of the IFRC (Youth Policy, Youth Engagement

Strategy, Guidelines for RCRC Youth networking), is a

poster that gives readers an insight on the global situation

of Youth Engagement as they gradually unfold it. The

graphical design of the poster has been developed by

Daniele Ficociello, a young Italian Red Cross volunteer

and graphic designer that closely collaborates with the

CCM. We are confident that the collaboration between the

Youth Action and Volunteering Development Department

will continue to grow in the future and we thank our col-

leagues at the IFRC for their proactive approach and for

wanting the CCM on board on yet another occasion.

For more information on the poster, and to download the

file please visit the following Fednet link:

https://fednet.ifrc.org/CookieAuth.dll?GetLogon?

curl=Z2FPageFilesZ2F127529Z2FYES_12_02_14_print.pdf&rea

son=0&formdir=2


12

Youth Engagement in North Africa …

After the Sydney Global Youth Conference, youth have

kept on moving forward. A positive example of their

engagement and desire to do more and better is the

meeting of the young leaders of Red Crescent Societies in

North Africa who met in Tunis in February to discuss the

implementation of Y.E.S 'Youth Engagement Strategy' in

their respective countries and in the region.

Youth from the National Societies of Egypt, Libya, Morocco

and Tunisia gathered to discuss on a number of issues

and challenges that await them.

The meeting, hosted by the Tunisian Red Crescent,

underlined the importance of having an active network that

may support and reinforce the work carried out by youth in

the region, as well as committed and empowered youth as

a means for working effectively.

© IFRC

Many young representatives of the Mediterranean region

represented their National Society during the meeting,

therefore we would like to share the testimony of Fatima

Zahra Hadri, the Moroccan Red Crescent delegate, for a

closer glimpse on the meeting and the positive message

that youth have brought with them on their return home.

…through the words of Fatima Zahra Hadri -

Moroccan Red Crescent.

Working as National Youth Volunteer in the Moroccan Red

Crescent, I have been able to apply the fundamental

principles of the Movement and adopt the Humanitarian

values on which the principles are based.

My participation with the CCM and Mediterranean youth

volunteers in the workshop on the promotion of a culture

of non violence and peace has positively impacted and

changed my personal life with my friend and family, it

helped me get closer to the people in need and put myself

in other people’s shoes, so I can feel what they feel and

express myself honestly.

Peace, love, empathy, active listening, non violent

communication, cooperation, respect for diversity, skills

and values learnt in my peace journey, and applied in my

daily life.

The North Africa Youth Volunteers Meeting was an

opportunity to represent Moroccan Youth Volunteers, and

to exchange, share experiences, achievements,

challenges, and mapping the common priorities for

2014/2015 of the North Africa Region: protection of

volunteers, motivation, recognition, innovation,

dissemination of a culture of non violence and peace,

humanitarian education,

engaging youth leaders in

decision making are the

main priorities of the NA

Youth Meeting. My

participation in North Africa

Youth volunteers meeting

gives me the energy to

sustain and to contribute in

advocating for the most

vulnerable, promoting

youth engagement,

disseminating a culture of peace and being part

of the change, and be inspired by learnt experiences.

I am proud of being Moroccan Red Crescent

I am proud of being peace Ambassador in my National

society”.

Fatima Zahra Hadri,

Moroccan Red Crescent volunteer

© IFRC

© IFRC

The Fundamental Principles of the International

Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Humanity

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a

desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on

the battlefield, endeavours, in its international and national capacity,

to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its

purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the

human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship,

cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

Impartiality

It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs,

class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of indi-

viduals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the

most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality

In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may

not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a

political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence

The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while

auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and

subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain

their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in

accordance with the principles of the Movement.

Voluntary service

It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire

for gain.

Unity

There can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society in any

one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian

work throughout its territory.

Universality

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all

Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and

duties in helping each other, is worldwide.

With the support of:


Av. Portal de l’Àngel 7, 4th floor 08002 Barcelona

Tel: +34 93 302 15 85 | Fax: +34 93 302 20 75

[email protected]

Follow us on :

www.cruzroja.es/ccm Centre for the Cooperation in the

Mediterranean

www. medyouthpotral.org

Humanity Impartiality Neutrality Independence Voluntary service Unity Universality

NewsletterCCM no.18_ENG

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Transcript of NewsletterCCM no.18_ENG