The ICRC runs a course in international humanitarian law for Youth Forum members

The Pal-Think for Strategic Studies institution, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip, organised a training course titled “International humanitarian law” for the members of the youth forum at the Pal-Think institution, with the goal of raising the members' awareness and educating them in an important issue in which sufficient expertise and knowledge is lacking, whether at the level of society or at the level of the youth especially. The course touches on issues connected to the Palestinian condition, represented in the areas in which conflicts occur or the areas suffering from wars and the absence of stability. The course focuses on acquaintance with the role of the Red Cross committee and the tasks it performs in the Palestinian territories, in addition to raising the participants' awareness of international law and the humane values through an overall study of the emergence of international humanitarian law and the principles on whose basis this internationally recognised term was built.
The meeting was opened by Mr Omar Shaban, director of the Pal-Think for Strategic Studies institution, who in his turn affirmed the importance of this course for the scientific and educational benefit it will return to our Palestinian youth, which in its turn will allow them acquaintance with essential issues that benefit them in their lives and dealings and help them understand the internationally recognised values and laws, whose opportunities of acquaintance or teaching are few in our educational institutions.
In his turn, Mr Christian Cardon, head of the mission in the Gaza Strip, expressed his intense happiness and pride that the Red Cross holds this course for the Palestinian youth, which as he considered it “is a positive step to acquaint the youth with some essential issues, and likewise it is an opportunity for us to know the youth's opinions and the extent of their acquaintance with such issues”. Mr Christian affirmed that the Red Cross committee is concerned with holding such courses in the fields of international law and human rights, considering that the youth's lack of acquaintance and knowledge of international humanitarian law or of what the Red Cross committee presents and does in the Palestinian territories is a failure that must be avoided.
The course's period extended over two days at 12 training hours, interspersed with many diverse activities comprising lectures by specialists, group exercises for the participants, and likewise the showing of awareness films in this regard. At the course's end the events and the participants were evaluated, in addition to the distribution of certificates to those enrolled in it.