Indian Red Cross Society, National Headquarters, New Delhi has signed an MoU with Rayat Bahra University, Mohali, Punjab to, broadly, build the resilience of communities to disaster and climate change through education, research and awareness programmes, collaboration on disaster risk management on natural, manmade and related environmental, technological health hazards. Shri Avinash Rai Khanna, Vice Chairman of the IRCS thanked Dr Raj Singh, Vice Chancellor of the University and his team for getting in to the partnership with the IRCS which shall, “Give an opportunity to the students to learn, among other things, first-aid and disaster response mechanism which shall keep them in good stead in their prospective careers and lives.” He added that such collaborations bring a lot of mutual strength and expertise which are beneficial to the partners.

partnership also envisages covering subjects like water sanitation & hygiene promotion (WASH), climate change adaptation, environmental management & restoration, ecosystem based livelihood support, health and blood services. The two organizations also agreed to jointly design and offer certification of educational programmes in the above areas or related fields.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Raj Singh, Vice Chancellor of the university said, “Students participation in voluntary work in communities has now picked up in India during the last couple of years and our university is looking forward to the Indian Red Cross to fulfill this humanitarian goal in character building and career opportunities.” He also informed that starting in the year 2001 Rayat Bahra group now offers more than 100 programmes through 55 institutions at its 8 campuses in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. The group has over 35000 students and is known for its approach to inclusive education.

Dr Veer Bhushan, Joint Secretary of IRCS outlining the salient features of the MoU said that the initial term of collaboration shall be three years and both parties will work within the mandates of each organization and adhere to the broad principles of humanitarian action as followed by the Red Cross Movement worldwide. He also said that the MoU shall cover, among others, “Build the resilience of communities to disaster and climate change through education, research and awareness programmes, emphasis on disaster risk management on natural, manmade hazards and related environmental, technological and health hazards, preventing new risk, reducing existing risk and strengthening resilience and water sanitation & hygiene promotion.” He also termed this teaming up exciting, especially after the success of the Red Cross MoU with IIT Mandi (Himachal Pradesh).

During the function an Export Company named Million Exporter of Ludhiana, Punjab, made a donation of 1000 t-shirts to IRCS for relief work. The Managing Director of the company, Shri Narender Chugh, offered to partner with the Red Cross in future also in its humanitarian pursuits.