Tehran: The first International Conference on Disability and Physical Rehabilitation in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was held

This conference was jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Tehran and the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The goal of this conference was to exchange views and promote synergy among participants from Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from different countries to review research achievements, provide training programs, and discuss methods to help people with disabilities better participate in society.

At the opening ceremony of this conference, Saeed Ohadi, Vice President and Chairman of the Martyrs and Veterans Foundation, conveyed Islamic Republic of Iran’s President’s compliments to the participants and said: “about 15% of the world’s population has disabilities, and addressing the concerns of these people is also the root cause for holding conferences like this.”

Continuing the program, Dr. Jafarian, Senior Advisor and Deputy to the Minister of Health, referred to the statistics on the existence of 2.4 billion people in need of physical rehabilitation worldwide and the lack of access of 50% of these people to rehabilitation services, and emphasized the necessity of prioritizing the issue of rehabilitation in countries’ policies.

Pirhossein Kolivand, President of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), underscored the broader significance of rehabilitation beyond medical treatment, stating: “Rehabilitation and recovery go beyond a short-term obligation or merely a medical necessity; they are a comprehensive approach to restoring human dignity, achieving independent living, and fostering sustainable growth”.

Vincent Cassard, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Delegation in Tehran, as the last speaker of the opening ceremony, thanked the Iranian Red Crescent Society and its head for helping to organize this conference, as well as Iranian President’s compliments to the participants, and emphasized the necessity of improving the quality of rehabilitation services and helping the disabled return to society as a commitment to the International Red Cross Movement.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Iranian Red Crescent Society, as the organizers of this conference, hope that this conference works as a platform for exchanging knowledge and experience and enhancing capabilities among the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies participating in this program.