Under the slogan "Develop to Make a Difference," 6th Annual QRCS Foreign Missions Forum Convenes

Doha, October 29 (QNA) - HE Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) President Yousef bin Ali Al Khater affirmed his full support to medical workers and first responders, citing the four Geneva Conventions and all the international instruments that provide for the protection of medical personnel, facilities, and teams showing the Red Crescent or Red Cross emblem. This came in the His Excellency's opening speech of the sixth QRCS annual forum for foreign missions and offices, which launched Sunday morning, under the slogan "Develop to Make a Difference." Al Khater called upon all humanitarian and international organizations to ensure protection for civilians, ambulance personnel, and hospitals amid the ongoing war. "Through this annual forum, and other training meetings for our field and HQ personnel, we seek to make our interventions more effective, identify the shared challenges, improve responses, and adopt the best humanitarian practices. We capitalize on internal and external expertise, in cooperation with many local, regional, and international partners," added Al Khater. He stressed that the QRCS in its endeavor to achieve all of this always keeps in mind the slogan, "safe souls, protected dignity," to be at the core of its humanitarian, development, and relief services and programmes. HE QRCS President said that what drives us in our quest for continuous improvement is the trust that our honorable donors have as well as to build on the achievements that the Crescent has achieved in the humanitarian field internationally. HE Al Khater appreciated the role played by the participants in the field and the qualitative interventions they achieved despite the daily challenges and difficulties to deliver relief and aid to those in need with the necessary speed and efficiency, and in implementing development programs that have always made a tangible difference in people's lives in deprived places or hard-to-reach areas. The QRCS members currently working in the Gaza office during this difficult time are a prime example of this. HE called on them to continue their work with excellence, quality, and commitment to be the best representation of Qatari humanitarian work. We derive the spirit of giving from the approach drawn up by Qatar, which is considered a symbol of charitable and humanitarian work and an active member of the international humanitarian movement. At the conclusion of his speech, HE hoped that this forum would bear good results, consolidate the leadership of the Qatar Red Crescent on the international humanitarian scene, and bring about positive change for the largest number of needy people across the world, to preserve human dignity wherever they are. 

The Director of Relief and International Development Division at QRCS Dr. Mohamed Salah Ibrahim gave a presentation on the division’s strategic objectives, priorities, and targets for the coming year. According to year-to-date statistics, QRCS has been working on a total of 290 projects, worth nearly QR 195 million, for the benefit of over 4.7 million people in 14 countries. In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE QRCS President Yousef bin Ali Al Khater explained that one of the objectives of the QRCS annual forum for foreign missions and offices is to assess, monitor, and develop their work and overcome any obstacles they face in their humanitarian tasks as these offices serve as the international arms of the QRCS. Regarding upcoming projects, HE mentioned that the current focus is on the emergency situation in the Gaza Strip. HE also indicated that future projects in other areas would extend the efforts of the Qatari Red Crescent in sectors such as sanitation, education, health, service development, and various relief assistance to the needy to enhance the Crescent's role and position regionally and internationally. For his part, the Director of Relief and International Development Division at QRCS told QNA that the next year would see an expansion in the performance of foreign offices and in their collaboration with international partners and donors in various regions where the QRCS operates. The opening ceremony was attended by directors, heads of department, and representatives of 12 out of the 14 foreign mission/offices. Representatives of QRCS offices in Palestine (Gaza and the West Bank and Al-Quds) were unable to participate in the forum, due to the current escalations there. The five-day forum will involve workshops, consultations, and brainstorming sessions. The participants will propose strategies and review the last forum’s recommendations, to build on the outcomes, develop working mechanisms, and ensure better performance. They will learn more about international developments, especially the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the challenges facing humanitarian action and relief workers. (QNA)