Day
two (12 Nov) of the International Federation’s General
Assembly, currently being held in Seoul, ended in tears of joy
and proud smiles. Three people received the first-ever Henry
Davison awards, named in honour of the Federation’s founder,
in recognition of their outstanding service in the accomplishment
of the Federation’s humanitarian mission.
Five young people were also awarded prizes for their dedication
and accomplishments in the context of youth programmes and the
first Federation award for the most innovative volunteer project
was awarded to a National Society.
The award ceremony was given a strong and vibrant opening by
a group of young percussionists playing on traditional Korean
drums. Samulnori drummed up a rhythmic storm on instruments
representing thunder, rain, wind and clouds. The musicians,
all members of Red Cross youth, are students in a school near
Seoul.
Secretary general Markku Niskala introduced the Henry Davison
awards with a short flashback to 1919, the date of the Federation’s
creation. “It is just and fair that the founder give his
name to an award recognizing what is most precious to the Federation,
people who serve its ideals.” He was particularly pleased,
he pointed out, that Henry Davison’s great-grandson had
accepted to fly to Seoul, from the United States, to present
the awards.
“I am so excited to be here three generations later to
present this award in the name of my great-grandad,” said
Henry P. Davison. “My family is very proud of the work
that he did and the work that you all do. The work of the Red
Cross is to bind up the wounds of a bleeding world, whether
in your country or halfway across the world.” After a
brief biography of his ancestor, he recounted the events that
led American President Wilson to ask Henry Davison to become
Chairman of the American Red Cross.
He was a visionary, noted his great-grandson, and looked beyond
current events. World War One had come to an end but the problems
were not over.
“He saw how the war had devastated the countryside, the
economy and displaced huge numbers of people, and he knew the
work of the Red Cross had to go on.” Therefore, he reasoned,
a global Red Cross movement was needed, and from there sprung
the idea of the League of the Red Cross Societies, later to
become the International Federation. It started with five founding
members, the American, British, French, Italian and Japanese
Red Cross Societies, in May 1919.
Henry Davison’s great-grandson concluded his remarks with
a quote from the founder of the Federation: “Think Red
Cross. Talk Red Cross. Be Red Cross.”
Then the Henry Davison Award was presented to the three winners:
the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for
its excellent services in disasters management, especially after
the Bam earthquake of December 26, 2003; Mr. Stu Flavell for
strengthening the partnership between the Federation and the
Global Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+); and Mrs.
Antonia Fages de Jordana for having founded the Association
of French-speaking African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(ACROFA).
On accepting the award, the President of the Iranian Red Crescent,
Dr. Ahmad Ali Noorbala, expressed his pleasure in honouring
the spirit of Henry Davison and his hope that, with support
and guidance from the Federation, his National Society would
continue “to reach its humanitarian objectives to alleviate
human suffering.”
After expressing his thanks, Stu Flavell went on to explain
that the partnership between the Federation and the Global Network
for People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) is considered a global
model, documented by UNAIDS, and is being copied by other sectors.
But, he said: “We must do more. I dare you to call on
us in your work. You bring all your magic and power and we will
be there to stand with you.”
Mrs. Antonia Fages de Jordana, who has been working in the Red
Cross Red Crescent Movement for some 30 years, was very moved
at being given the Davison award. “You are the architects
of the new generation, building the Africa of tomorrow,”
she told the delegates. “Thank you for all you have done.
Stay united. I love you all and I have all of Africa in my heart.”
The ceremony continued with the presentation of the Youth Awards,
meant to pay tribute to volunteers for their work in advocacy
and with vulnerable people in the communities. They were awarded
by region and the recipients received a trip to Seoul and a
computer. For Asia/Pacific, the recipient was Rochelle Laurenshiya
Wijesooriya, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society; for Europe, the recipient
was Carlos Montes, Spanish Red Cross; for the Middle East/North
Africa (MENA) Region, So’ad al Biltaji, Palestine Red
Crescent Society; for the Americas Region, Elvis Matute, Panama
Red Cross and for the Africa Region, Ondoa Alexandre Désiré,
Cameroon Red Cross.
So’ad al Biltaji thanked the assembly on behalf of all
recipients and asked for its continuing support. “We hope
you will join our joy and pride. We are ambassadors of humanity.
We sow achievement to reap love and support. Our work is not
just for the present but is also for all other generations as
well. We are now even more ready to confront the future.”
In his remarks, Mr. Ilhoon Kwak, Chairman of the National Council
of Volunteers of the Korean Red Cross said the Federation’s
awards to its volunteers, although long overdue, were an excellent
idea. He added he hoped the programme would be expanded to allow
more volunteers to be honoured.
He then presented the Volunteer Award to Mariska Steenbergen,
of the Netherlands Red Cross, for a programme which supports
youth volunteers who teach elderly people to use their mobile
phones. “The 70,000 volunteers of the Korean Red Cross
join me in congratulating Mariska on a job well done,”
he said.
Federation President Juan Manuel Suárez del Toro underlined
the significance of the work of volunteers and the debt the
organization owed them. The awards, he said, were a prestigious
way of expressing gratitude to “those who share the enthusiasm
and courage of our founder”.
Mukesh Ambani, President of the Federation Foundation, was the
last speaker of the evening. Paying tribute to the work of volunteers,
fired by “the spirit of service and sacrifice”,
he pointed out that if only human capital was valued the Red
Cross Red Crescent would be seen as one of the wealthiest organizations
in the world.
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The
award ceremony was given a strong and vibrant opening
by a group of young percussionists playing on traditional
Korean drums.
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“I
am so excited to be here three generations later to present
this award in the name of my great-grandad,” said
Henry P. Davison.
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Then
the Henry Davison Award was presented to the three winners:
the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Mr. Stu Flavell for strengthening the partnership between
the Federation and the Global Network for People Living
with HIV/AIDS (GNP+); and Mrs. Antonia Fages de Jordana
for having founded the Association of French-speaking
African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (ACROFA).
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The
ceremony continued with the presentation of the Youth
Awards. For Asia/Pacific, the recipient was Rochelle Laurenshiya
Wijesooriya, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society.
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For
the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) Region, So’ad
al Biltaji, Palestine Red Crescent Society.
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