Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 982/17

ADVOCACY WORKSHOP IN IRCS

To promote inclusion of the young generation in the Indian Red Cross Society, an advocacy workshop on Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) was hosted by the Raj Bhavan, Shillong today at the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan, Shillong, wherein the Governor of Meghalaya, Shri. Banwarilal Purohit was the Chief Guest. The inaugural session was attended by the Meghalaya Chief Secretary, Shri. Y Tsering, Chairman IRCS, Meghalaya, Shri. W R Marbaniang and Vice Chairman, IRCS, Meghalaya, Smti. A Swer besides volunteers and members of the Red Cross Society, Meghalaya Branch and volunteers from the Indian Red Cross Society, National Headquarter, New Delhi. In his inaugural address, the Governor said that India has a largest youth population that constitute a vibrant and vital human resource and they play an indispensable role in shaping the destiny of the nation. Thus the Indian Red Cross Society realized the importance of the youth and established Junior Red Cross (JRC) in schools and Youth Red Cross (YRC) in colleges and together they accounted for more than 10 lakh members throughout the country, he said. The Governor emphasized that as the Society's major strength lies in the volunteers, there is a need to motivate the youth throughout the State to join Red Cross as active volunteers. He further said that by such workshop we look at figuring out the leaders and guiding them to achieve the right objective at the right time by following the right path.

As a humanitiarian organisation which has always been in the forefront of helping and assists the people in times of conflict and disasters besides promoting voluntary blood donation and other health related issues, the Governor said that there is a need to skill the youth in the various fields related to the activities of the Society. He called upon the volunteers and members to pursue the objective of the IRCS with determination so that large numbers of volunteers can be enrolled to offer their services to the society. He called upon the IRCS Meghalaya to build up the volunteers and members from schools and colleges of the State and inculcate the Red Cross spirit amongst them and increase the participation of the youth in the IRCS activities. Among others who spoke on the occasion were the Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society, Meghalaya Branch, Shri. W R Marbaniang who gave a short introduction to the programme and activities of the IRCS and Dr. V Singh, Director Blood Bank incharge IRCS Youth Programme, New Delhi.