Regional Meeting on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the RIC/RFL Platform

The Hellenic Red Cross hosted the regional meeting on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Regional Information Platform for Family Reunification (RIC/RFL), which operates within the Tracing Service of each National Red Cross Society.

The event took place in Athens from October 20-23, 2025, with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) being co-organizer of the event.

The meeting was attended by the Secretaries-General of National Red Cross Societies from the region, including PhD Sait Saiti, the Secretary-General of the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as representatives from the Tracing Service/Restoring Family Links Services of the National Red Cross Societies of Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Albania.

The President of the Hellenic Red Cross, Mr. Antonios Avgerinos, ceremoniously opened the event, emphasizing the long and proud history of the Request Service. Mrs. Jelena Stijacic, Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation in Belgrade, also addressed the participants.

The main theme of the event was the discussion of the implementation of the RFL Strategy of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for 2025-2030, as well as the migration challenges in the region and achieving the shared goals. The focus was on strengthening cross-border cooperation, protecting personal data, and adopting sustainable humanitarian practices to ensure a more effective Request Service.

By working together, we continue to build bridges of solidarity and hope, as every family deserves to be reunited.