Chairman PRCS Advocates Resilient Communities at International Seminar in China
Guiyang, China –Honorable Chairman of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari, proudly represented Pakistan at the International Seminar on Red Cross Resilient Communities, held on December 11-12, 2024, in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China.
The seminar brought together key officials and leaders from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Tajikistan, and Mongolia.
H. E. He Wei, President of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), welcomed participants and commended their active involvement in fostering resilience. Highlighting Guizhou’s vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, he shared insights on the province’s Climate Resilience Model Village initiative and health and livelihood programs aimed at mitigating the suffering of vulnerable communities.
During his address, Chairman Laghari delivered a detailed presentation on PRCS’s pivotal role in climate action, from its contributions at COP27 to its ongoing participation in COP29. He emphasized PRCS’s extensive humanitarian efforts during Pakistan’s 2022 monsoon floods and its recovery programs. He also stressed the importance of community-driven adaptation, collaborative approaches, and innovative strategies to address climate challenges and strengthen disaster response mechanisms.
Prominent speakers at the seminar included Mr. Boris Kelecevic, Deputy Head of the Regional Delegation for East Asia at ICRC, Ms. Olga Dzhumaeva, Head of the East Asia Regional Delegation for IFRC; and Dr. Luis C. Rodriguez, Lead for Climate and Environmental Crises at the Asia Pacific Regional Office. Discussions focused on sustainable approaches to enhance community resilience, institutional strengthening, and responses to disasters and climate-induced challenges.
Chairman Laghari participated in a roundtable discussion titled “Enhancing Community Resilience in the Context of Climate Change.” The session provided a platform for National Societies to exchange best practices, explore policy innovations, and discuss the role of technology and youth engagement in promoting climate resilience.
The Red Cross Society of China arranged exposure visits for seminar delegates, including Chairman Laghari. The delegates toured Guizhou’s Climate Resilience Model Village, followed by a visit to the historic war museum, which houses cultural relics and historical war artifacts and serves as a hub for patriotism education in China.
His Excellency Governor of Guizhou, Mr. Li Bingjun, hosted a farewell dinner in honor of the seminar participants. He expressed his gratitude for their contributions and engagement in their respective National Societies.