Newsletter | Nº 18 | 1St Quarter | 2014 EDITORIAL
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NEWS LETTER nº 18 1st quarter 2014 The journey of the ‘Flag of Solidarity’ Page 8 ACTIVITIES VOLUNTEERS CORNER ‘Volunteering as a vector Salam Khorshid, Syrian Arab Red Crescent of social cohesion’ volunteer and Youth Commission member page 4 page 6 Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean CONTENTS page EDITORIAL Bridging the gap towards Intergenerational Dialogue 3 ACTIVITIES Volunteering as a vector for social cohesion 4 Editorial Board CCM Youth Engagement and Leadership in Atlantis X 4 Briody J, Addison 6th Photo Contest for Youth in the Mediterranean: Youth Engagement in the Red Cross and Red Castriotta, Luigi Angelo Crescent Movement 5 Comas Uriz, Santiago David, Isabelle VOLUNTEERS CORNER Dézarnaud, Cédric Fraile Rodríguez, Eduardo Salam Khorshid, Syrian Arab Red Crescent García Roca, Àngels volunteer and IFRC Youth Commission member 6 Llobet Méndez, Néstor PARTNERSHIP Pardo Fernández, Laura The journey of the ‘Flag of Solidarity’ 8 Vico Martínez, Sonia 9th European Regional Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference 10 With the collaboration of: Red Cross/Red Crescent Mediterranean Platform on Migration 10 Fatima Zahra Hadri, Moroccan Red Crescent PERCO Meeting 10 volunteer Plus Europe Association and CCM 11 Salam Khorshid, SARC volunteer, Youth CCM collaboration in the IFRC Youth Engagement Commission member Strategy (Y.E.S.) 11 Youth Engagement in North Africa through the words of Fatima Zahra Hadri - Moroccan Red Crescent 12 Photos by: Elkabir, Abdessamie Ficociello, Daniele García, Jose Ramón Malla, Ibrahim Croatian Red Cross IFRC Cover Photo: Delivery of the Croatian Red Cross flag to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent ICRC volunteers (© Croatian RC; © Jose Ramón García; © Ibrahim Malla, IFRC) 2 Newsletter | nº 18 | 1st quarter | 2014 EDITORIAL Bridging the gap towards intergenerational dialogue In the context of the current economic crisis, the need to promote social inclusion and face emerging vulnerabilities, as stated in Strategy 2020 of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is one of the urgent imperatives that National Societies are called to respond to, in the constant search for innovative and effective solutions that may improve communities' resilience. Amongst those directly affected by the social effects of crisis are young adults, the elderly, and children who are living in poverty and struggling to have their basic daily needs covered, as underlined by the report recently published by Caritas* and concerning countries whose National Societies are part of the Mediterranean Conference such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus. In the given scenario, promoting volunteering as the essential backbone of our Movement and joining forces to implement new initiatives - as well as support the sustainability of programmes already underway - becomes crucial to face common challenges. Following its mission to promote partnership and the exchange of experiences among Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, and building on strategic alliances that may provide the floor for the replication of best practices at regional level, the CCM and the Spanish Red Cross will carry out the seminar 'Bridging the gap towards intergenerational dialogue: volunteering as a vector of social cohesion', to be held in Madrid from the 23rd to the 25th of May. * According to the report, child poverty in the EU is increasing and now tops 22%. Child poverty in Spain reaches 29.9%. The country is ranked second after Romania. Bulgaria and Greece are ranked third and fourth (http:// www.caritas.eu/about-caritas-europa/publications). 3 ACTIVITIES Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean Volunteering as a vector of social cohesion A seminar focused on social cohesion and The seminar, which will count, among others, on the intergenerational dialogue will be organized by the CCM participation of the IFRC, the European Anti-Poverty and the Spanish Red Cross between May 23rd and 25th. Network and the Vodafone Foundation, will take place in Madrid and it will be co-organized by the CCM and the Under the title “Bridging the gap towards intergenerational Spanish Red Cross (Volunteering Department, Spanish dialogue: Volunteering as a vector of Social cohesion" the Red Cross Youth, with the support of the Social programme will pay specific attention to the application Intervention Department as well as the Social Innovation and impact of information and communication technology Department). in volunteering and volunteer management, as well as in programme development. Through plenary sessions and by exchanging best practices, National Societies are expected to acquire new skills and knowledge that will support them in the implementation of new programmes in their local context. This process could prove to be instrumental in improving living conditions and promoting the social inclusion of vulnerable groups. As underlined in the Dubrovnik Declaration of the last Mediterranean Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the economic crisis that has hit the Mediterranean region in the past years has made exclusion and poor living conditions a reality for many people, and joint action at regional level is required to counteract the social effects of the economic crisis. However, we are also living in a digital era and this © Daniele Ficociello seminar aims to delve into it to take a longer look at how information and communication technologies (ICT) may Date: 23-25 May make a difference in the fight against social exclusion and the promotion and management of volunteering as a Venue: Spanish RC Headquarters, means of social cohesion. Promoting interaction, mutual For further information visit the CCM webpage at: understanding and the exchange of knowledge among generations through volunteering may provide a soothing http://www.mediterraneumrc.org/portal/page? ground to counteract the effects of the crisis, and ICT _pageid=174,45008541,174_45008542&_dad=portal30&_schem prove to be a crucial tool in this process. a=PORTAL30 Youth Engagement and Leadership in Atlantis X Youth leading by example and acting as agents of change The Camp programme aims to empower participants to within their communities are some of the aspects that will build and consolidate their leadership capacities while be tackled during the 10th edition of the annual RC/RC inspiring others to do the same. This empowerment will Mediterranean Youth Camp Atlantis, organized by the allow youth to truly engage with their communities and give CCM in collaboration with the Italian Red Cross under the them the necessary skills to put into practice new initiatives name “Red Cross/Red Crescent Youth as active leaders and creative ideas. The year 2014 marks the 10th in their National Societies and local communities”. From anniversary of Atlantis, and for this reason the Camp will th th June 18 to 26 , volunteers form the region will gather to be hosted by the Italian consolidate their capacities as leaders in Jesolo, near Red Cross which also Venice, at the Foresteria Casa di Croce Rossa. hosted the very first edition of Atlantis. Atlantis X places emphasis on promoting Youth leadership along with Youth engagement. Keep reading on the following page 4 Newsletter | nº 18 | 1st quarter | 2014 ACTIVITIES Furthermore the CCM and the Italian Red Cross have thought of doing something very special to celebrate the anniversary, by giving participants the opportunity to take part in the 'Fiaccolata', the eight- kilometre torch lit walk which commemorates the distance walked by all those who, following the battle of Solferino in 1859, helped the injured on both sides of the battlefield (from the armies of imperial Austria and the Franco -Sardinian alliance) to reach Castiglione and receive aid, and which symbolises the birth of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement thanks to the initiative of Henry Dunant. © ICRC/M.Kokic/V-P-IT-E-00075 The CCM and the Italian RC will continue working hard in Date:18-26 Junio the next few weeks as Atlantis X approaches quickly. Venue: Foresteria Casa di Croce Rossa, Jesolo, Italy Much is left to be done to ensure that the Camp runs as For further information: smoothly as possible, and that the participants leave feeling better equipped to become leaders in their own http://www.mediterraneumrc.org/portal/page? communities. _pageid=174,45008504,174_45008505&_dad=portal30&_schem a=PORTAL30 6th Photo Contest for Youth in the Mediterranean: ‘Engaged Youth for Stronger National Societies’ Youth Engagement in the Red Cross and Red Crescent This experience will allow him or her to make valuable Movement was the theme of 6th edition of the connections while learning how to promote the Mediterranean Youth Photo Contest launched by the CCM. engagement, empowerment, and leadership of youth in In accordance with the IFRC’s Youth Engagement the region. During Atlantis the best photos will be exhibited Strategy, the CCM asked for photos displaying youth as for the entire week, demonstrating how youth can be leader, volunteers or beneficiaries, which represent the engaged in their society in a variety of different ways. three possible scenarios of active youth participation within the Movement. For further information: The Photo Contest is aimed at promoting the idea of Youth http://www.mediterraneumrc.org/portal/page? _pageid=174,45008485,174_45008486&_dad=portal30&_schem as Agents of positive change. Participants are invited to a=PORTAL30 take their camera and observe and witness the positive effect of youth and volunteering in our Mediterranean surroundings. Youth represent both the present and the future of the Movement and of National Societies, and this contest offered an opportunity for participants to reflect on the impact youth have on communities, and on how one’s personal actions may affect society. The winner, which will be officially announced in the weeks to come, will get the opportunity to participate in the Youth Camp Atlantis X to be held in Jesolo (Italy) this June, together with other young delegates from many other © Abdessamie Elkabir . Moroccan Red Crescent Winner of the 4th National Societies in the Mediterranean region.