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.