Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) vice-president Khuon Sudary offered her appreciation to the many working groups and commissions that had been working to arrange the upcoming general assembly, scheduled for December 23.

Sudary noted at a recent meeting that the CRC had appointed several commissions and sub-commissions to arrange the assembly.

“The members of each commission were carefully selected,” she said.

Pich Chanmony, deputy chair of the board of the Samdech Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association (TYDA) who also attended the meeting, proposed that a working group examine the CRC’s statutes and procedures to bring them in line with national and international contexts.

“We should ensure that the general assembly is conducted in a transparent way, while adhering to the CRC’s standards,” he said.

CRC secretary-general Pum Chanty Ny presented a report to the four commissions and sub-commissions so they would have a clear understanding of their duties ahead of the general assembly. She also tabled a report of last month’s July 28 meeting.

In addition, she joined Chanmony in suggesting that a working group fine-tune CRC statutes to improve transparency.

The CRC is also due to host the 20th Leaders’ Meeting and 2nd Youth Forum of the National Association of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Southeast Asia. The youth forum is scheduled for September 17-22.

​Three youth from each national association will attend the youth forum. The CRC will send 10 youth delegates and another 10 youth facilitators as their delegation, according to an August 25 CRC press release, signed by its president Bun Rany.

The forum aims to train youth about humanitarian work and build their capacity so they will become future leaders of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. All of the youth will attend the leaders’ meetings as observers.

Following the youth forum, the 20th Leaders' Meeting is scheduled for September 21-22. Delegates from 11 national associations in Southeast Asia are gearing up to attend.

Of the number, six are heads of their respective national associations and five are secretary-generals. Under the theme of “Red Cross youth participation for the future of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and new solutions to humanitarian work”, participants will hold discussions between leadership and youth delegates.

The four will also feature a tree-planting ceremony at the premises of the Buddhist Cultural Centre of Cambodia, in Kirirom National Park. Some 500 participants are geared up to attend the ceremony.