Mongolia: Advanced training session on international humanitarian law organized to strengthen regional expertise
The event aims to enhance participants' understanding of international humanitarian law (IHL) and foster expertise and awareness regarding contemporary challenges. It also seeks to encourage authorities and academicians to facilitate the implementation, promotion, teaching, clarification, and development of IHL regionally and globally.
This year, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions, which are at the core of international humanitarian law, the event holds even greater significance. Mdm Bolormaa Nordov, Secretary General of the Mongolian Red Cross Society, highlighted that the event also serves as a crucial preparation for states and national societies for the upcoming 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, underscoring the importance of each participant's role in shaping the future of IHL. "Mongolian Red Cross Society will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions by organizing an international humanitarian law week," said Mdm Bolormaa Nordov, highlighting the Mongolian Red Cross Society's dedication to international humanitarian law.
The session was designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of a broad spectrum of IHL topics relevant to the region, including classification of conflicts, detention, naval warfare, means and methods of warfare, conventional weapons, application of IHL in cyberspace, and IHL implementation. With approximately 30 hours of intensive training, the curriculum featured interactive case studies, group activities, cultural visits, and discussions led by the ICRC and MRCS, as well as contributions by experts and practitioners from the region. Quizzes were incorporated to provide practical understanding of IHL that transcends beyond theory.
Boris Kelecevic, Deputy Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation for East Asia, and Ms. Marwa Shabbar, Head of Legal Department of the Regional Delegation for East Asia, congratulate participants for completing the 2024 Southeast, Northeast Asia and the Pacific Advanced Session on International Humanitarian Law in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. PHOTO: MRCS
Boris Kelecevic, Deputy Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation for East Asia, emphasized in his closing remarks that the Advanced Session is not just a training event but a unique platform for participants to exchange ideas, perspectives, and insights related to the promotion and respect of IHL. 'Such regional events help foster relationships among participants from different backgrounds, encouraging peer learning and exchanges, and deeper engagements in the field of humanitarian laws and policies,' said Kelecevic, underlining the value of each participant's contribution to the event.
As the ICRC's flagship IHL training event in the region, the Advanced Session has been organized regularly since its launch in 2006. During the pandemic, the sessions were held online. This year's was the first on-site session organized since the pandemic, reflecting the ICRC's continued commitment to strengthening IHL expertise and promoting its application throughout the region.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
About the MRCS
The Mongolian Red Cross Society, established in 1939, is a humanitarian, neutral, impartial, and independent national humanitarian organization. As an auxiliary to the government in its humanitarian efforts, the National Society focuses on managing disaster risks, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, enhancing public health, promoting volunteerism, and engaging youth in humanitarian activities.
For more information, please contact:
Najum Iqbal, ICRC (English), tel: +86 131 2036 3813, email: nulsaqibiqbal@icrc.org
Shuangfeng Zhang, ICRC (Mandarin), tel: +86 10 85328507, email: szhang@icrc.org
Manlaibaatar Oyuntuul, MRCS (Mongolian), tel : +967 91670011, email: manlaibaatar.o@redcross.mn