28.09.2011
The 16th Balkan Conference of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was held in Sofia, Bulgaria on 25th to 27th June with participation of Red Cross Red Crescent Delegations of the following countries:
1. Albania/ Headed by Prof. Dr. Shyqyri Subashı, President
2. Bulgaria/ Headed by Mr. Hristo Grigorov, President
3. Greece/ Headed by Mrs. Zephie Thanassoula, Head of Multifunctional Centre for S.S. & I.R.
4. Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/ Headed by Mr. Sait Saiti, Secretary General
5. Montenegro / Headed by Dr. Asim Dizdarevic, President
6. Romania / Headed by Mr. Claudiu Gantoi, Vice President
7. Serbia / Headed by Prof. Dr. Dragan Radovanovic, President
8. Turkey / Headed by Mr. Ahmet Lutfi Akar, Vice President
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies represented by Mr. Bengt Westerberg and Mrs. Anitta Underlin and International Committee of the Red Cross represented by Mr. Eduard Abegg participated in the Conference as…
28.09.2011
The 16th Balkan Conference of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was held in Sofia, Bulgaria on 25th to 27th June with participation of Red Cross Red Crescent Delegations of the following countries:
1. Albania/ Headed by Prof. Dr. Shyqyri Subashı, President
2. Bulgaria/ Headed by Mr. Hristo Grigorov, President
3. Greece/ Headed by Mrs. Zephie Thanassoula, Head of Multifunctional Centre for S.S. & I.R.
4. Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/ Headed by Mr. Sait Saiti, Secretary General
5. Montenegro / Headed by Dr. Asim Dizdarevic, President
6. Romania / Headed by Mr. Claudiu Gantoi, Vice President
7. Serbia / Headed by Prof. Dr. Dragan Radovanovic, President
8. Turkey / Headed by Mr. Ahmet Lutfi Akar, Vice President
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies represented by Mr. Bengt Westerberg and Mrs. Anitta Underlin and International Committee of the Red Cross represented by Mr. Eduard Abegg participated in the Conference as observers.
The Croatian Red Cross represented by Ms. Dubravka Horvat, Slovenian Red Cross represented by Mr. Aleš Markočič, Italian Red Cross represented by Mr. Michele Rezza and the Qatar Red Crescent represented by Dr. Fawzi Oussedik participated in the Balkan Conference.
The President of the Bulgarian Red Cross Society, Mr. Hristo Grigorov opened the conference and delivered his opening speech. Mr. Bengt Westerberg delivered a speech on behalf of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Mr. Eduard Abegg on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The participants of the Conference were also greeted by Mrs. Catherine Hamon Sharpe, Representative for UNHCR, Mrs. Ivanka Hristova, Vice Minister of Labor and Social Policy, as well as by the Minister of Health, Minister of Defense and the Director of the State Agency for refugees of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Conference adopted the agenda and the Rules of Procedure and elected the Drafting Committee, composed of one person from each National Society and Mrs. Margarita Dimitrova, from Bulgarian Red Cross as the Secretary of the Conference.
Follow-Up Report from the previous Balkan Conference was presented by the host National Society.
Mrs. Anitta Underlin, Head of the Europe Zone of the International Federation presented the New Operating Model of the International Federation.
The participants of the Conference debated upon and exchanged views and experiences on the following issues:
1. Capacity and experiences of the Balkan National Societies in recent disaster situations in the region. New challenges and lessons learned. Common action and possible cooperation for the prevention of humanitarian consequences of climate change
The participants of the Conference propose the following:
• To enhance mutual cooperation and share best practices and expertise in light of the paramount importance of better coordinated cooperation in disaster preparedness and disaster response.
• To foster continuous dialogue with relevant authorities at all levels and with other partner organizations, aiming at risk reduction and effective response to newly emerging vulnerabilities.
• To commit themselves to advocate to the National authorities to review the existing Disaster Management legislation and to continuously promote the IDRL Guidelines, in compliance with Resolution 4, adopted at the 30th International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference.
2. Contemporary Volunteering Management
The participants of the Conference strongly support the following initiatives:
• To adopt contemporary volunteering management policies and practices to address the emerging challenges in the society.
• To increase volunteer base of the Balkan National Societies in view of expanding relevant humanitarian services, encouraging participation, promoting competent leadership and serious organizational development investment.
• To examine the existing legislation and to make efforts to create a common harmonized regulatory framework on volunteering.
3. Resource mobilization – Effective Modern Approaches
The participants of the Conference have agreed on the following:
• Efficient resource mobilization is a vital precondition for successful functioning of the National Societies and for implementation of their activities.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent resource mobilisation opportunities are challenged by increased competition as different actors emerge on the stage.
• The Balkan National Societies stressed the importance of establishing long-term partnerships with the corporate sector to secure sustainable sources for implementation of their services.
• To promote adoption of appropriate legislation framework which would encourage individual contribution, social responsibility and corporate volunteering.
• Effective modern approaches to fundraising should be applied.
• To raise awareness and inform the public about the problems that the various groups of population are experiencing and encouraging them to help.
• Promoting corporate social responsibility among the corporate sector as one of the key segments and demanding in appropriate manner greater support and reinvestment back to the public by private companies.
• To assure regular exchange of know-how and best practices and establish long-term partnerships between National Societies on resource mobilisation.
4. Experience in activities and providing health and social services to different vulnerable groups (HIV/AIDS prevention; First Aid; Home Care)
The participants of the Conference have agreed on the following:
• To enhance the mutual cooperation and exchange among the Balkan National Societies in social and health services, respecting their own specific needs, circumstances and priorities.
• To promote joint initiatives covering different target groups in social and health sphere such as Home Care, age awareness and advocacy projects, HIV/AIDS and Drug Use prevention activities, promotion of healthy life style among youth and especially First Aid, Road Safety and voluntary blood donation programmes.
• To reinforce and support each other in our efforts to adjust to the changes in the societies, while ensuring quality and accountability of the provided services.
• To expand and diversify social activities carried on by the National Societies to the benefit of the most vulnerable people, in order to more adequately meet their needs.
• To commit to scale up and improve the scope, quality and impact of their health programmes.
• To strengthen their advocacy efforts on reducing intolerance, discrimination and stigma towards various marginalised groups such as drug addicts, AIDS infected people, Roma and others.
• To invest in continuous development of the existing skills, good information exchange systems and social mobilisation, as a core of the effective prevention measures.
• To reinforce partnerships and involvement of community members, components of the International Movement and various external partners in order to assure the effectiveness and efficiency of the National Societies’ health and care intervention and prevention efforts.
5. Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law and of the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The participants of the Conference commit themselves:
• To disseminate knowledge about International Humanitarian law, Human Values and Fundamental Principles of the Movement and in particular to assist the efforts of their respective Governments to promote and implement the provisions of the IHL among the most important stakeholders – armed forces, authorities, law enforcement units and general public.
• To intensify the efforts of the National Societies to internally promote IHL to their volunteers, governance, management and staff members.
• To adjust their dissemination efforts on the applicability of IHL to the rapidly changing situation in the world and in particular newly arising armed conflicts and the so called “war on terror”.
• To build upon the successful experience of implementation of the Exploring Humanitarian law Programme and strongly support its application in all countries in the Balkan region.
• To advocate for respect of the emblems and for revision of the national legislation, where needed and creation of effective mechanisms for enforcement and monitoring of the proper application of those laws.
6. Migration. Integration of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. Prevention of human trafficking. Restoring family links
The participants of the Conference acknowledge the need:
• To reinforce the European Conference commitments towards the Red Cross and Red Crescent activities in favour of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.
• To share, learn and diversify approaches towards supporting refugees, migrants and asylum seekers in addition to the good practices, already applied by the National Societies in the Balkan region.
• To analyse the migration phenomenon and review priorities of National Societies: to preserve and improve the role and experience of the National Societies in the field of migration, to search for new opportunities for cooperation with State actors involved in integration activities and to develop more services targeting migrants.
• To put more efforts in capacity building and preparing the organizations and groups of refugees and migrants for independent functioning as civil society structures aiming at their better integration.
• To strengthen the interaction between National Societies from the region and their relevant authorities in the field of humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, as well as in improving their living conditions.
• To build appropriate networks in order to better protect, support and assist migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and their families, regardless of their status.
• To raise awareness especially of young people about the mechanisms of recruitment of the victims of trafficking, sensitizing the general public and mobilization of the local communities for preventing human trafficking among different target groups.
• To put more efforts in dissemination of information to society and to institutions about the Tracing service role and functions as well as actively informing and training the regional structures of the National Societies.
It was undoubtedly confirmed by all the participants that the Balkan Conference is considered a valuable forum for exchanging views on our current challenges, as well as a possibility to additionally foster contacts and networking between the National Societies of the Balkan region.
The Conference reminds the importance of the Follow-Up of the Final Document and its recommendations.
The participants of the 16th Balkan Conference expressed their warmest thanks to the Bulgarian Red Cross Society, volunteers and staff for the excellent organization of the Conference, for the hospitality and cordiality and to the Bulgarian Government for their valuable support to the Conference.
The participants welcomed the proposal of the Hellenic Red Cross regarding establishment of a follow up system in the form of electronic newsletter, with a common title: “Balkan National Societies Newsletter”.
The participants also welcomed the proposal of the Romanian Red Cross regarding establishment of an interactive web platform for exchange of experiences, follow up of the progress, comments and advice, joint initiatives, etc. The International Federation supported the idea and proposed a newly developed web application “SharePoint” to be used for the purpose.
Sofia,
27th June 2008
