During this year’s General Assembly, the winners of this year’s “Youth together for humanity award” were honoured and presented with their prizes. The award which is divided into four categories, one per Global Agenda Goal is an initiative of the Youth Commission, and was first presented in 2005. The prize consisted of support from the International Federation to allow a youth representative of the winning society to participate in the General Assembly, and a laptop computer for the use of the society’s youth section.
The following are the winners in each of the four categories:
For reducing the impact from disasters, the winners are the Costa Rican Red Cross for their programme of “Return of Happiness” based on psycho-social support focused on protecting vulnerable groups such as children and on the participation of people affected by natural disaster, as social actors, providing them to have their voice heard in the mitigation and reconstruction. Attention is given to the training of youth volunteers and the intervention in the local communities. The programme has been developed in partnership with UNICEF.
For reducing the impact of diseases and public health emergencies, the winner is the Uganda Red Cross Society for the innovative approach combining all elements of the RC/RC global HIV strategy: prevention, care, treatment and support, anti-stigma, advocacy and in active partnership with young people living with HIV.
In the category of youth increasing both civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability, the prize is shared by the American Red Cross and the Italian Red Cross. The American Red Cross is awarded for the good organisation of youth involvement based on training focused on youth leadership, as well as for the innovative approaches used to attract more youth, such as the creation of a blog in their website. The Italian Red Cross is awarded for the very good balance of youth involvement in the National Society structure and the participation in organising local services. They focus their work plan on the slogan “To educate in order to participate – to participate in order to act – to act in order to improve”.
Finally, for promoting respect for diversity and reducing intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion the Norwegian Red Cross is awarded for the way they contribute to the Global agenda goal on promoting respect for diversity, reducing intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion. Their role play “Youth on the run” actively involves young volunteers as facilitators; it deals with the critical situation of refugees in the country. The programme was developed in partnership with the Norwegian Ministries of Development Cooperation, and Children and Equality, as well as with the Guides and Scouts association. Through the solidarity pact, the Norwegian Red Cross Youth elected to offer the proceeds of the prize to the Kenyan Red Cross Youth, allowing them the opportunity to include a youth representative in their delegation, as well as offering them the computer for their youth section.
The winning societies were presented with a diploma by the President of the International Federation, Don Juan Manuel Suárez Del Toro Rivero. Of the winning societies, the youth representative of the Norwegian Red Cross was nominated to speak on behalf of all five. Roy-Andre Sorheim spoke of how honoured the winning societies felt, and also used to opportunity to appeal to the delegates of the assembly, that it was not enough to simply include youth representatives in society delegates, but also that their opinions should be listened to and considered.
The computers presented to the winners were kindly sponsored by Lenovo computers.
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The Norwegian Red Cross were awarded for their programme "On the Run." Pictured here is Roy-Andre Sorheim accepting the award on behalf of the youth of his society. / International Federation
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The Uganda Red Cross Society were awarded for their work in the area of HIV and AIDS peer education. Pictured is Segirinya Hannington accepting the award / International Federation
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Sandy Tesch receives the award on behalf of Youth in the American Red Cross / International Federation
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Italian Red Cross shared the award with the American Red Cross. Pictured are Ian Courtaney, Chairmain of the Youth Commission, Don Juan Manuel Suárez Del Toro Rivero, President of the International Federation and Marilena Musmeci of youth in the Italian Red Cross Youth
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The computers for the award were kindly sponsored by Lenovo Computers
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