The remark was made by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at a ceremony held in Hanoi on November 22 to mark the 60th anniversary of VRCS’s membership in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the 71st founding anniversary of the VRCS.
The Government official lauded the fact that throughout its 71 years of development, the VRCS has played a key role in coordinating humanitarian activities in Vietnam, stressing that many programmes and campaigns launched by the VRCS have encouraged underprivileged peoples and vulnerable groups to rise above difficulties in life.
He called on the VRCS to closely work with the IFRC and other international humanitarian organisations in a joint effort to build a peaceful world with no war and poverty, where people can live with in happiness.
The VRCS was founded on November 23, 1946 by President Ho Chi Minh and was recognised as a member of the IFRC on November 4, 1957. As of June, 2017, it has 8.5 million members and volunteers operating in more than 17,000 local Red Cross associations across the country.
According to VRCS Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, over the past five years, the association has been active with many large-scale humanitarian programmes. It has raised VND 460 billion to support people in disaster-hit areas, provided free health examinations and treatment for 1.4 million needy people, and has given over around 21,600 cows to poor households across the country.
The association has also well coordinated with the IFRC and international partners in implementing humanitarian projects in Vietnam.
