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Coming up on day 1 of the General Assembly

The opening ceremony of the 21th General Assembly will take place at 09:30, following the presentation of the four candidates for the IFRC Presidency.

A new IFRC President, Vice-Presidents and 20 National Society members of the Governing Board will be elected today. The new President’s leadership and vision will be critical to ensuring that IFRC and National Societies can grow their support to the most vulnerable and isolated people around the world. Voting will take place during the day.

Getting to the heart of the issues with Facebook Live

Throughout the General Assembly, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers, leaders and staff will be taking over social media with a series of Facebook Live interviews. We’ll be talking to people from all over the world to reveal the stories behind the biggest humanitarian issues of the day.

This is a great opportunity to bring your expertise and insights to a global audience via Facebook, and to let your volunteers, staff and domestic supporters see what’s happening at the 2017 Statutory Meetings. They can also interact with the speakers by posting questions in the comment section – we’ll answer as many as we get!

Check out the Facebook Live broadcasts we’ve run so far:

 

  • IFRC Youth Commission member Pearl Li (Australian Red Cross) on the future of volunteering in a changing world (in English).

 

 

  • IFRC Under Secretary General for Partnerships, Dr Jemilah Mahmood, reviews the exhibition “The Future is Now” (in English).

 

Facebook Live sessions will be running throughout Day 1 of the General Assembly – there are Open Slots between 11am and 12:30pm, and more sessions are planned for 2pm and 6pm.

To get involved, or for more information, contact Milos Maricic, IFRC X-Media Campaign Manager, on milos.maricic@ifrc.org

IFRC on Facebook

Don’t miss: IFRC’s digital annual report

The work of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff in 2016 is showcased in IFRC’s new Annual Report, which is presented for the first time as a digital experience.

As well as some of the best photographs from our work around the world, the report contains facts and figures related to migration, the Ecuador earthquake, Hurricane Matthew and Cyclone Winston, and health crises such as Zika and yellow fever. The report also shows how IFRC’s advocacy and thought leadership in 2016 has helped to shape the humanitarian landscape including in the areas of localization, innovation and community engagement.

Check it out here: http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc-pages/

About our hosts: Turkish Red Crescent Society

The Turkish Red Crescent Society, our hosts for the 2017 General Assembly, RC2 Forum and the Council of Delegates, was founded in June 1868 as the “Society for Aiding the Wounded and Ailing Ottoman Soldiers”, and was later known as the “Ottoman Red Crescent Society” in 1877, “Turkey’s Red Crescent Community” in 1923 and the “Turkish Red Crescent Community” in 1935 before being renamed “Turkish Red Crescent Society” in 1947. The name “KIZILAY” (Red Crescent) was given to the institution by Turkey’s then-leader Ataturk.

Throughout its long and distinguished history, Turkish Red Crescent Society staff and volunteers have provided mobile and fixed hospitals, patient transportation services and hospital vessels; has trained nurses and volunteering care givers; provided humanitarian care to non-combatants and prisoners of war regardless of their nationality and has brought care and protection to civilians affected by war; provided health care, shelter and nutrition for people affected by natural disasters; participated in international relief and response activities, provided training in first aid, operated blood services, and given social aid to citizens in need.

Read more about the work and achievements of the Turkish Red Crescent Society here: http://www.kizilay.org.tr/