Red Cross Blogs

Guest post from Kenya: “Jambo! Karibu Kenya”

By Katrina Crew
November 25, 2009 at 12:26 pm

In her daily life, Laura Deacon is a Red Cross project manager looking after our Dance for Life programme for young people.

Last week, though, she represented the British Red Cross as a youth delegate at a massive General Assembly. She explains more about the General Assembly and the highlights of her time in Kenya.

So this is my first blog for the British Red Cross – in fact this is my first blog EVER so apologies if it’s a long one but I have a lot to tell you and I have not mastered the art of being short, sweet, informative and funny as so many of you bloggers have!

I have just arrived back from the General Assembly in Kenya. Now back on British soil I will update you once a day for the next week on the highlights of the trip. So let me start by giving you a short run down of what the General Assembly is.

The General Assembly makes the most important decisions for the International Federation of the Red Cross and the National Societies of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The General Assembly happens every two years and National Societies from all over the world take along a delegation of staff and volunteers.

One of the main goals of the General Assembly is to decide the general policy of the organisation. This year there is a big focus on the Federation’s new strategy called Strategy 2020. This year was particularly special for two reasons. Firstly, it was the first ever General Assembly held in Africa, and secondly there were over 50 Red Cross and Red Crescent youth there.

So, boring bit over, but before I give you the British Red Cross delegation’s highlights of the week, I want to digress for just a moment to tell you how amazing the Kenya Red Cross is. They were the most welcoming and friendly group of people, always willing to help and they arranged a well organised and exciting General Assembly.

We were met at the airport by banners saying “Jambo! Karibu Kenya” – hello and welcome to Kenya – and from that moment on they couldn’t have been more accommodating, so Asante Kenya, from your very grateful sister society the British Red Cross.

The Highlights

Let me start with British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nicholas Young and chairman James Cochrane. When I asked them both about their highlights, they independently agreed that the enthusiasm for the new Strategy 2020 from all National Societies was really positive, and, with the election of a new president for the Federation, there is now a real sense that the Movement can and will be moving forward. They also agreed that it was great how much the British Red Cross is respected and listened to at an international level, as they are keen to play a key part in taking the Movement forward.

On personal reflection, Nick Young said: “It has been exhausting, but I have met fantastic people from all around the world who are helping vulnerable people every day and it reminds me how exciting it is to be part of this amazing Movement.”

Michael Meyer, head of British Red Cross international law highlighted the importance of the Federation’s newly elected president, Tadateru Konoé from Japan, and how his pledge to work to promote the unity of the Movement bodes well for the future, including the implementation of the new Strategy 2020. (That’s Tadateru Konoé  in the picture, receiving gifts from Kenya Red Cross representatives).

Michael also highlighted the presence of a significant number of youth delegates in comparison to previous years, and their challenging and useful interventions throughout. Michael summed up his experience, echoing the feelings of our whole delegation by saying: “The Kenya Red Cross were proud and generous hosts who made everyone feel warmly welcomed to the first international Federation and Movement’s statutory meetings held in Africa.”

And finally my highlight…hmmmm….It’s a toughie to pick one from a week of so many moments where I felt like Jedward with a number one album and a sell-out tour. Highlights included the wonderful welcome of the Kenya Red Cross, the opportunity to meet innovative and interesting youth delegates from across the world, the moment when Nick Young declared his undying love for Mama Mia, a visit to a water sanitation project, the opportunity to hear people speak on migration, humanitarian diplomacy, HIV, disaster relief and many more.

However, drum role please, there was one stand-out highlight for me and that was being given the opportunity to speak in front of 1,500 people on the British Red Cross’ support for young people within the Movement. When Nick Young leaned forward and asked me if I would like to take the floor on behalf of the British Red Cross, my stomach did the Macarena.

But, not one to waste an opportunity, I spoke about our support of the youth commission, the welcomed presence of a youth voice in many National Societies highlighted by delegations that had brought youth representatives, the encouragement of National Societies without youth involvement to consider how to resolve this, and finally our intention to be involved at an international level in drafting the new youth policy as we were able to with the youth declaration in Solferino.

Well, hopefully after updating you all on the highlights of the General Assembly I am now in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest recorded blog. I promise in the coming days to keep it shorter, so please keep reading!

Image © Thomas Omondi/IFRC

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Tags: governance, International

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