Friends of Humanitarian Action meet ICRC President Peter Maurer at Swiss residence in Tokyo

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Dr. Peter Maurer giving a speech about the need to create a new model for humanitarian action ©Embassy of Switzerland in Japan

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018, the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan organized a reception in honor of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and its president Peter Maurer who was visiting Japan. The reception gathered many distinguished guests, members of the Japanese Diet and Government - including the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Norikazu Suzuki -, representatives of several embassies, journalists and universities’ professors. Peter Maurer regularly visits Japan as it is a long-standing strategic partner and one of the most important to the ICRC.

During the reception, ICRC president Maurer, who was introduced by the Ambassador of Switzerland in Japan, Jean-François Paroz, gave a speech. He emphasized on the importance of creating a new model of humanitarian aid. This new model has to take into account the increasing number of long-lasting conflicts, displaced and people with humanitarian needs on the one hand and the limited financial resources of governments on the other hand.

The reception was an occasion for participants to exchange on the current situation of humanitarian action and the role of the ICRC. Founded in 1863 by Henry Dunant in Geneva, the International Committee of the Red Cross is one of the oldest and most prestigious humanitarian organization in the world. It counts more than 15’000 employees all over the globe and has won three Nobel Peace Prizes in 1917, 1944 and 1963. Peter Maurer was appointed as president of the ICRC in 2012.