SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Humanitarian work, too, must keep pace with a changing world. The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have held a joint workshop to prepare their teams and volunteers for the field's evolving challenges - from unifying families and finding missing people to using AI in crisis response.
The workshop comes as the world witnesses "increasing crises and conflicts", making it essential for humanitarian workers to have the knowledge and skills the current landscape calls for, said Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent.
Its goal, he said, is to deepen staff and volunteers' grasp of humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law.
"This is achieved by familiarising them with protection mechanisms, family reunification, and tracing missing persons, as well as utilising modern technologies and humanitarian diplomacy during times of crisis and disaster," Al Mazrouei said.
Valentina Bernasconi, ICRC Head of Delegation in the UAE, stressed that amid growing humanitarian needs, it has become more important than ever to strengthen understanding of the principles and foundations that have long shaped the field.
"Respecting humanitarian principles is essential because it allows humanitarian organisations to reach those in need and provide life-saving assistance," she told Aletihad on the sidelines of the workshop.
Field realities worldwide call for more resilient supply chains, new approaches to urban conflict, and smarter use of innovative technologies, she added.
"Modern conflicts and disasters require constant adaptation," Bernasconi stressed.
She explained that the ICRC and the Emirates Red Crescent are members of the same Movement but have different mandates that complement one another, allowing them to combine their expertise and deliver "a more coordinated and effective humanitarian response".
The event, Bernasconi said, reflected the shared principles and common mission that unite the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
"This first joint workshop between the ICRC and the Emirates Red Crescent marks an important milestone in our partnership, providing an opportunity to deepen our cooperation, exchange expertise, and strengthen our collective humanitarian response to today's increasingly complex challenges," she said.
Abdulla Almansoori, from the Humanitarian Diplomacy Office at the Emirates Red Crescent, agreed that workshops such as this one support the organisation's mission, serving as a platform to "enhance knowledge and exchange experiences".
No matter how much today's environments may have changed, some values remain constant. Empathy, for example, will still be the defining quality for the next generation of humanitarian workers, Bernasconi said.
"Empathy is the most important quality," she said, adding that future humanitarians must listen, understand others, and uphold the movement's principle of humanity.
Recalling the ICRC's founding motto, "Tutti fratelli" - "We are all brothers and sisters" - she said that spirit should continue to guide future generations.
