The RSIS Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme celebrated World Humanitarian Day by organizing a public panel discussion entitled Voices From The Field. The event was held at The POD at the National Library, in the evening of August 19th 2015 from 6pm to 9pm.

This first outreach event of the HADR programme included a panel discussion, poster exhibition and networking session. Speakers then proceeded to share their experiences from the field. Col. Lim Kwang Tang, Director of the Changi Regional HADR Coordination Center (RHCC), recounted his experience in Nepal, and how Singaporean forces treated the most number of casualties during his 14-day mission. Secondly, Mr. Johann Annuar, founder and trainer with Humanity Assist, shared his experiences in Kenya during his mission in an internally displaced peoples’ camp. Lastly, Mr. Hassan Ahmad of the Corporate Citizen Foundation (CCF) spoke about the need for tri-sector participation in HADR efforts, as no institution has all the resources. He further expanded on the differentiated capabilities of the CCF, having only been formed in 2014. This was then followed by a question and answer session.

Throughout the event, the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF), Singapore Red Cross, World Vision, Badan Agama Dan Pelajaran Radin Mas (BAPA), Mercy Relief, Corporate Citizen Foundation, Relief.sg, and RSIS presented poster exhibitions. The networking session, proved particularly fruitful with the public engaging with speakers and exhibitors. This signified the growing interest in humanitarianism and HADR.

For more information on our programme, please see our website.