Lyna Mohamad
The Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society (BRC) hosted its Diamond Jubilee International Friendship Dinner last night.
The dinner also commemorated its 75th anniversary as an auxiliary to humanitarian engagements in the country.
BRC’s international friendship dinner is an annual event hosted for foreign diplomats to foster closer working relationships with foreign mission offices in the country.
This includes cooperation for humanitarian deployment within the region, with the goal of providing humanitarian assistance during natural disasters.
“Engagements in humanitarian aid and voluntary assistance is the key fundamentals that BRC are looking forward to develop in the regional and international mandate,” said the organisation in a statement.
The dinner also saw the presentation of the distinguished BRC Henry Dunant Award to three emerging young leaders and BRC Henry Dunant Award in Humanitarian to one participant.
Meanwhile, the Distinguished Friends of BRC Award 2023 was presented to Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (Perbadanan TAIB) as one of the emerging Corporate Partners in supporting BRC humanitarian engagements.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad was the guest of honour.
Also present were BRC President Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yussof bin Pengiran Haji Bahar and BRC Vice-President Haji Mohd Yusri bin Haji Wahsalfelah.
The BRC was established in 1948 as the British Red Cross Society (Brunei Branch) under the auspices of the British High Commissioner at the time. The BRC remains the only national society in the world that functions without paid staff or grants from the authorities to manage and run its humanitarian aid.
Its operations are dependent on donors’ contributions. “Nonetheless BRC must keep up the pace to face tremendous challenges in carrying out our humanitarian action in a world beset by uncertainty and many complex crises,” said BRC.
“With almost 1,000 registered volunteers, youth, school cadets, community and corporate platoons, the BRC family is at the forefront of humanitarian assistance for those who need it the most.”
