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The 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent will take place in December 2019 at the CICG (International Conference Centre Geneva) in Geneva.  Detailed information on the preparation and consultation will be provided at a later stage.

Part of the continuous conference cycle, the preparations for the 33rd International Conference took up speed following the Movement’s Council of Delegates in November 2017.

The 1st briefing for Permanent Missions in Geneva took place in 23 March 2018 informing the State members on the preparatory process and understanding their expectations of the 33rd International Conference.  Similar exercises have been carried out with National Societies in various meetings i.e. the European Legal Support Group meeting and the Global Policy meeting.

The consultations guide the Joint Organizing Committee “JOC” (made up of representatives from IFRC, ICRC, Standing Commission Secretariat and the Commissioner of the Conference) to identify content elements, expectations regarding the format and design of the Conference, and indicators of a successful 33rd International Conference.

You can reach the JOC and provide input on consultations at conferences@rcrcconference.org.

Setting up the agenda

The concept note proposing the overarching theme that will frame all the decisions and debates at the Conference, the specific topics, and the consultation process is currently in development.

The document will look at topics that are already mandated to feature on the agenda by previous meetings and new topics that reflect current and emerging humanitarian concerns of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, proposing specific objectives and potential outcomes for each of them.

The new topics proposed for the agenda have been sourced through an extensive outreach process of two years, with all the Movement components and external partners, as reflected in deliberations of the 2017 Council of Delegates and of the RC2 Forum.

In July, the Standing Commission will endorse the proposed concept note.  It will then be shared with the conference members for consultation, and with observers to ensure their early engagement.

The input received from the members will be incorporated in a second version of the concept note, including a preliminary attempt of a draft agenda of the Conference – to be shared towards the end of this year.

Engagement and outreach

The main objective of the engagement and outreach is to ensure that the International Conference is increasingly agile and impactful by involving the Conference members and the observers more comprehensively in the preparatory process and the delivery of the Conference.

The outreach and engagement toward the 33rd International Conference includes a broad range of initiatives that complement the statutory consultation requirements, from promotion and outreach activities to raise interest in the 33rd International Conference, to more 2-way engagement activities which aim ultimately at informing the agenda and enable richer discussions during the Conference.

From now until June 2018 the activities will aim at focusing attention and raising interest in the Conference and gathering inputs towards the development of the concept note.

From July 2018 to November 2019 the activities will aim at promoting the Conference agenda and engaging on substantive preparations of the proposed decisions and debates.

A detailed activities plan that builds on all existing opportunities for consultation as well as outlines additional targeted activities will be shared shortly available and constantly updated.

Consultation - State members

Permanent missions briefings in Geneva

23 March 2018

Presentation

Video of the mid term review of the outcome of the 32nd International Conference 

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day – the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement video

22 June 2018

Presentation

Upcoming events (exact dates still need to be confirmed):

Permanent Missions briefings in Geneva: November 2018, March 2019, June 2019, September 2019

Group of Ambassadors meetings in Geneva: January 2019, April 2019, July 2019, October 2019

Preparatory Committee on draft resolutions: July 2019

Consultation - National Societies

Regional meetings and other meetings

– European Legal Advisors meeting, Februray 2018

– Global policy meeting, April 2018

– European Regional Conference, 2-4 May 2018, Almaty

Webinars

1st webinar, 30 May 2018 – Presentation, recording of the webinar

Other sessions of webinars will be organised.  Detailed schedule will be available soon.

 

Message from
Mr Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and
Mr Yves Daccord, Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross

 

In December 2019, representatives from State Parties to the Geneva Conventions, which includes almost every government in the world, will gather together with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and partner organisations for the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva, Switzerland.

The International Conference meets every four years to discuss and take decisions regarding key issues of humanitarian concern.  This Conference is a unique global forum where States and the components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement make joint commitments in the interests of the most vulnerable.  The lively debates of the International Conference are joined by other partners including from the United Nations, academia, the private sector and other organizations.

We are pleased to share with you the proposed concept for the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which will be held in Geneva from 9 to 12 December 2019 under the slogan ’Act today, shape tomorrow’.

As we work towards an outline of the Conference agenda, to be shared later this year, we invite your feedback and considerations on the concept note and the conference theme no later than 12 October 2018.  In particular, we encourage you to consider the following questions:

  • Does the current framing of the 33rd International Conference reflect the critical issues and conversations that need to be held?
  • Do the topics proposed reflect the most pressing current and future humanitarian concerns?
  • What are the specific discussions and angles on these topics that the Conference should address?

 

Please send your comments to conferences@rcrcconference.org.

The official convocation, registration information and further details will be sent in June 2019 in accordance with the International Conference Rules of Procedure.

We look forward to working with you as we prepare for the Conference over the coming year.

Major milestones

2 - 4 May 2018

European Conference_logo

European Conference – consultation with European National Societies

Early July 2018

Standing Commission will meet to endorse the draft concept note

July 2018

Concept note shared with the conference members

November 2018

Input received on concept note shared with conference members

March 2019

Elements of resolutions ready for consultation

Early June 2019

Convocation and provisional agenda and programme mailing

June 2019

Draft zero resolutions ready for consultation

Early September 2019

Deadline – comments on provisional agenda and programme

October 2019

Official documents mailing including background papers, follow up reports and draft resolutions

Early December 2019

33rd International Conference