ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Wednesday launched its flagship ‘Red Million Movement’, a nationwide initiative to mobilise, engage, and empower one million youth and volunteers to strengthen humanitarian action across Pakistan.

The initiative aims to inspire citizens, particularly young people, to become agents of positive change by promoting volunteerism, community resilience, and humanitarian values in line with the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The launch ceremony was held at the PRCS national headquarters in Islamabad and attended by the heads of delegation in Pakistan of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Norwegian Red Cross, and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay), representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the German Red Cross, PRCS management and staff, and youth volunteers from across the country.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairperson PRCS Mrs Farzhana Naek described the ‘Red Million Movement’ as “an initiative that is very close to her heart.” She said serving vulnerable communities was a shared responsibility and that “humanity is embedded in our DNA. Serving people in need is a sacred responsibility that defines who we are.”

She said the initiative marked the beginning of a nationwide movement that will unite youth, volunteers, educational institutions, communities, and partners to build a network of one million trained volunteers ready to serve before, during, and after emergencies.

In his opening remarks, Secretary General PRCS, Mr Muhammad Abaidullah Khan, said the campaign was a national commitment to build one million trained and compassionate volunteers, while appreciating the Chairperson’s leadership in promoting volunteerism as a way of life.

During the ceremony, volunteers reaffirmed their commitment to humanitarian service by taking the volunteer oath, administered by the Head of Youth and Volunteer Department, Mrs Misbah Mushtaq.

The ceremony concluded with a live National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) Simulation Exercise (SIMEx), organised by the Disaster Management Department. The exercise demonstrated key emergency response functions, including coordination, deployment, rapid assessment, first aid, relief distribution, cash assistance, mobile health services, and post-distribution monitoring.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2026