Red Cross urges youth to take action to build communities

The Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS) is celebrating the contributions of all its volunteers and donors and is encouraging young people in their continued action and leadership under the global theme ‘Youth on the move’ to mark World Red Cross Red Crescent Day.

In solidarity with the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, the GRCS hosted a luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel yesterday, a press release said. The event is part of a global movement to take action and make a difference in helping communities better prepare for disasters and emergencies and building a culture of violence and peace.
“Young people have a critical role in helping the Red Cross Red Crescent reach the most vulnerable.

They also have an important role to play in building healthy communities,” explained Ashanta Osborne, Chair of the Youth Commission for the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“Without our young people, we could not achieve what we do as a Movement,” said Dorothy Fraser, the Guyana NS Secretary General. “At GRCS, we will empower young people to continue to fulfil leadership roles so that can do more, do better and reach further in service to the most vulnerable. At present young people are involved in first Aid Training, Violence Prevention Programmes, Disaster Risk Reduction Activities, Climate Change awareness, Youth Groups, and in education and awareness in Health, especially in HIV and AIDS.”

The public is invited to view a photographic exhibition of participants in the ‘Youth on the move’ in national societies around the world at www.ifrc.org It also includes images and short stories of Red Cross Red Crescent youth in action. For local information the public is invited to visit the website guyanaredcross.org.gy Other activities and events held in observance of May 8 will be highlighted on the IFRC and ICRC Facebook pages, Twitter pages and the ‘Our World You Move’ blog.