Every year the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) organizes a Movement Induction Course (MIC-training) in Geneva, Switzerland. This training is given to directors and Secretary Generals of the Red Cross-national societies worldwide. On invitation of the Caracas delegation of the ICRC, I had the honor to be invited to attend this training from Sept 1 to Sept 6 2019 as a representative of the Caribbean region.
We met with colleagues from all over the world, half of them from African National societies. How great it is to see that, no matter where you come from, we all speak the same humanitarian language and are guided by our 7 fundamental principles.
The aim of the MIC is to inform decision makers on the Movement and the different components. This was nicely done by duo-presenters; each topic was given by both a specialist from the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and one from the ICRC. It clearly showed the fact that we complement each other, the ICRC being more active in conflict situations while the IFRC works predominantly in natural disasters while using the same approach as a Movement.
Topics that were discussed among others: the new Strategy 2030, Good governance and leadership, Protection, gender and diversity, volunteering, Accountability and fraud prevention, International humanitarian law and movement coordination.
At the end of the training we were invited for the Henry Dunant tour, a 2 hour walk on the streets of Geneva where our founder Henry Dunant was born, lived and started our organization. A real humanitarian who made it possible that the Red Cross is now active and trusted worldwide by vulnerable people as a beacon of hope and dignity. It’s millions of volunteers carry these principles to all communities: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality in order to provide assistance to the most vulnerable. The Geneva conventions and it protocols are acknowledged by nearly all states worldwide, including the government of Aruba.
Michel La Haye
Director Red Cross Aruba