On August 7, Red Cross Society of China provided a media briefing on its activities related to the Beijing Olympic Games and Wenchuan earthquake recovery program." The briefing was held at Red Cross Training Center.
Chinese Red Cross Executive Vice President Jiang Yiman made a presentation. She explained that on May 16, 2003, an MOU was signed between the International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Olympic Committee. In line with the MOU, Chinese Red Cross signed an MOU with BOCOG on March 16, 2007 to define the role of Red Cross in preparing for the games. According to the MOU, Chinese Red Cross provides first aid training to Olympic volunteers and mobilizes volunteers to provide services during the event.
Red Cross branches in host cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao all worked actively for the Olympics. Before the Olympic games, Chinese Red Cross (1) published and distributed 130,000 copies of First-aid Manual; (2) provided first aid training to more than 100,000 Olympic volunteers and more than 200,000 staff in health sector, railway, highway, aviation, tourism, public security, transport, hotels, stadiums, etc. and 1.2 million people in the communities; (3) took the opportunity to recognize voluntary blood donors by distributing“Medal for Life”to blood donors during the Olympic Games. (4) promoted HIV prevention knowledge through cooperation with sports community. Chinese Red Cross distributed 3000 copies of HIV prevention brochure and carried out youth peer education in 10 universities.
(5) provided volunteer services in Olympic test games, such as Women Softball game, water games in Beijing, Women's Football World Cup in Tianjin, Sailing game, water canoeing, Triathlon, the Cycling game in Qingdao, football game in Shenyang, Special Olympics in Shanghai.
During the Olympic Games, there will be about 50,000 Red Cross volunteers to work for the games, including: (1) medical service personnel and volunteers will wear Red Cross logo; (2) Red Cross volunteers will serve in 550 Olympic city service stations in Beijing; (3) Another 2000 Red Cross social service posts in Beijing and 200 posts in other host cities.
Mme. Jiang said that when Chinese Red Cross is preparing for the Olympic games, a powerful earthquake hit Wenchuan on May 12. Chinese Red Cross took immediate action and started a large scale emergency response program.
As of now, Chinese Red Cross National Office has distributed more than 140,000 tents, 120,000 quilts , 250,000 pieces of clothing, 1.7 million mosquito nets, 6,480 tons of food items.
At present, Chinese Red Cross is gradually moving to recovery phase, Chinese Red Cross National Office has put 500 million yuan to build transitional schools and clinics for one million families.
At the same time, Chinese Red Cross will spend 2.5 billion yuan in recovery programs in three provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi to build residential houses, schools, and clinics. Community-based disaster preparedness program will be also implemented.
In addition to the resources from Chinese Red Cross National Office, Chinese Red Cross Foundation, Red Cross branches including Hongkong and Macau will put resources together for a consolidated recovery program. Taiwan Red Cross Organization, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other National Societies are providing support as well.
Mr. Ole J Hauge, Acting Head of the International Federation East Asia Regional Office also talked to the media representatives. He said that the Red Cross movement and the Modern Olympic movement were both born in the 19th century. In more than 100 years, both organizations have worked for peace and development. Red Cross providing volunteer services in the Olympics is an international practice started as early as 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden at the fifth Olympic Games. Chinese Red Cross has done a lot of work to contribute to the success of the games.
After the briefing, media representatives went to Forbidden City, Xidan commercial street, and shooting range hall to visit the Red Cross volunteers.
About 100 Chinese and foreign journalists invited by BOCOG information center, such as Sohu website attended the briefing.
