Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) is gearing up to host the 22nd Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Leaders’ Meeting alongside the 4th Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Youth Forum from September 22 to 24 in Kuala Lumpur. The three-day event will convene leaders and youth representatives from 11 National Societies, as well as officials from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the event is themed ‘Navigating Uncertainty, Strengthening Unity for Humanitarian Action’. It will focus on bolstering solidarity and fostering innovation in the face of current challenges such as climate-related disasters, health emergencies, migration, and humanitarian diplomacy. Attendees will include presidents, chairpersons, and senior officials from National Societies across Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
The 4th Southeast Asia Youth Forum will act as a platform for young leaders and volunteers to exchange perspectives, reaffirm their commitment to humanitarian values, and explore innovative solutions to enhance community resilience in the region. The MRCS, in collaboration with IFRC and ICRC, will also organize a one-day Southeast Asia Humanitarian Forum. This forum will concentrate on multilateral cooperation, disaster law development, and adherence to International Humanitarian Law within ASEAN, aiming to enhance both national and regional resilience.
The humanitarian forum is expected to gather Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), civil society groups, and regional humanitarian partners. The MRCS reiterated its commitment to fortifying solidarity and collective action to build resilient communities in Southeast Asia through these initiatives.