PESHAWAR: Department of International Relations, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), organized a symposium at the University of Peshawar to mark World Red Cross Red Crescent Day-2026.
A communication said on Monday the event focused on the “Principles of Humanitarian Action during Emergencies and the Role of Volunteers,” exploring the vital links between modern legal frameworks of International Humanitarian law and Islamic laws.
The symposium was attended by a panel of experts from the ICRC, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and academia.
Discussions centered on the commonalities between International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Islamic Jurisprudence, emphasizing the necessity of impartiality and neutrality in reaching the most vulnerable populations during crises.
Addressing the participants, Bruno Radicchi, Head of the ICRC Sub-delegation in Peshawar, shed light on the organization’s deep roots in the region.
“Our collaboration with academia brings together brilliant minds to discuss the very ‘DNA’ of humanitarian action. Our work in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa extends far beyond the classroom. As an impartial and neutral organization, the ICRC - alongside the PRCS and the PDMA’s Complex Emergency Wing - remains on the ground in areas like Bajaur, Kurram, Khyber, and Chitral to provide independent relief to displaced families in the recent times,” Radicchi said.
Opening the symposium, Prof. Dr. Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi thanked the ICRC for entrusting the Department of International Relations with hosting the national conference for the third consecutive year.
“We aim to provide students with firsthand knowledge from practitioners,” Dr. Soherwordi said. He added that by connecting classroom theory with the lived experience of those in the field, we enrich the academic journey and prepare the next generation of leaders.
The event also served as a platform to recognize individual bravery and commitment. Commemorative shields were awarded to the Red Crescent humanitarian workers Ikram Ullah, from Kurram and Javed Khan, from Bajaur. Both were honoured for their exceptional dedication to saving lives during recent humanitarian crises in the region.
The symposium concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared humanitarian values that unite different legal and religious traditions, highlighting that neutrality and impartiality remain the most effective tools for ensuring aid reaches those in need, regardless of the complexity of the environment.
