Today, a meeting of the heads of the National Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent of the CIS countries, representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross began in the conference hall of the “Archabil” hotel in Ashgabat.

The meeting under the motto "International Year of Peace and Trust - Humanism and Neutrality" was organized by the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan.

The purpose of the event is to strengthen regional cooperation between the NRCS of the CIS countries to improve the effectiveness of response to modern humanitarian challenges.

The meeting was attended by delegations of the national Red Crescent Societies of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan (online), Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Armenian and Russian Red Cross Societies.

Representatives of the Qatar Red Crescent Society attended as observers.

The event was opened by the Chairperson of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan, Maral Achilova.

"We have an important task ahead of us - to join efforts to strengthen humanitarian cooperation in our region, exchange successful practices and identify new ways of interaction. I am confident that joint work within the framework of this meeting will become a significant contribution to the development of our common humanitarian movement," noted M. Achilova.

The participants were welcomed by the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Kate Forbes (online), and the Head of the Regional Representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Central Asia, Biljana Milosevic.

The meeting participants paid special attention to the promotion of International Humanitarian Law, the development of humanitarian diplomacy, and strengthening the potential of national societies of the Red Cross and the Red Cross.

Each delegation made a presentation on the activities of their Society, the programs and projects they are implementing, and the humanitarian challenges they face. Participants also shared information on the development of cooperation and coordination with government agencies, and the key role of volunteering in promoting humanitarian activities.

Shaban Shayev, Deputy Secretary General of the National Communist Party of Azerbaijan, in an interview with a Turkmenportal correspondent noted:

"We sincerely thank the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan for the invitation. The expectation of this meeting is to strengthen cooperation between national societies, develop close ties in terms of exchanging best practices, which will further contribute to strengthening the potential of societies, their role in solving humanitarian challenges of our time."

Tomorrow, the participants will continue the discussion. The issues of developing income-generating activities of national societies, as well as strengthening the potential of the volunteer movement, will be at the forefront.