Red Cross and Red Crescent hold regional conference in Beirut

The 12th Regional Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent for the Middle East and North Africa is being held in Beirut. The event, organized by the Lebanese Red Cross in coordination with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, focuses on addressing the escalating challenges facing humanitarian work in a region marked by ongoing conflicts.

A central theme of the conference is the urgent need to protect humanitarian and medical workers. Speakers emphasized that even in times of war, there are rules that must be respected, and the targeting of health workers, ambulances, and medical facilities must not become normalized.

Participants include high-level officials, such as the President of Lebanon and representatives from various national societies. The Saudi Red Crescent Authority is leading a session titled ‘From Amman to Beirut’ to review progress on previous declarations and discuss regional crisis responses. The conference aims to strengthen national societies, enhance humanitarian diplomacy, and move from theoretical commitments to measurable results in community resilience and emergency preparedness.