18 August 2025, Bangkok – The President of the Timor-Leste Red Cross (CVTL), Mrs. Madalena Soares Hanjam, together with Mrs. Vidiana Xareal, CVTL External Relations Coordinator, represented Timor-Leste at the “Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on International Humanitarian Law.” The event took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mrs. Hanjam highlighted that CVTL’s participation was a significant opportunity to raise awareness and deepen knowledge of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). She emphasized that engaging in such platforms helps to enhance relations and strengthen international cooperation between CVTL, other National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The lecture was organized by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the 76th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
The gathering brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including government representatives, diplomats, military and police officers, international organizations, academics, and humanitarian leaders. A keynote address was delivered by ICRC President, Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, who shared reflections on the theme, “Keeping Humanity Alive in Contemporary Warfare.”
According to Mrs. Xareal, CVTL’s active presence on this international platform demonstrates the organization’s firm commitment to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross Movement. She underlined that by upholding Humanity, Neutrality, and Independence, CVTL continues to play a vital role in promoting humanitarian values both within Timor-Leste and across the region.
