المجلس العالمي للتسامح والسلام

On World Civil Defense Day, our greetings and gratitude

By Vanessa Farhat

Vanessa Farhat

Civil Defense is a name for a number of organizations worldwide devoted to protecting civilians from military attacks, as well as providing rescue services after natural and man-made disasters. The description of this organization is different in each country, but in most countries, civil defense is a government-managed, volunteer-staffed organization.

Civil defense has several tasks, whether in peacetime or war.

In time of peace, the Civil Defense provides relief to those affected by emergencies, prepares volunteers for civil defense work, regulates the rules and means of industrial safety and security, works on firefighting, rescue operations and first aid, establishes operation rooms and civil defense centers and develops general specifications for the shelters and their supervision to protect the population, creates and prepares civil defense formations from various fields of specialization and equips them with necessary equipment and means, stores the various materials and supplies necessary for the continuation of life in cases of war, emergency and disaster, develops and implements the necessary measures aimed at achieving safety and disaster prevention and elimination, including the provision of cash or other benefits, uses the media to achieve the goals of civil defense, and the implements emergency evacuation and accommodation plans.

In wartime, the Civil Defense organizes the rules and means of warning against dangers and air raids, prevents the effects of air strikes and destructive weapons, restrict lighting, restrict traffic, evacuates people from a place of danger to a safe place, and organizes awareness-raising workshops to deal with potential risks from aircrafts bombing or explosions.

Therefore, in recognition of the efforts made by the civil defense forces to maintain the security and safety of societies from the danger of natural and man-made disasters and to minimize the tragic consequences, The 9th General Assembly of the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) decided, on the 18th of December 1990, at the International Conference Center in Geneva, to celebrate the International Day of Civil Defense, in all member states of the organization, on the 1st of March of each year, in order to applaud and praise the great role played by civil defense organizations around the world.

The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace sends its best greetings and gratitude to the Civil Defense throughout the world, for the noble tasks they have volunteered for, for their humanity and for their sacrifices in order to contribute to helping people overcome disasters of all kinds.

In this work, they prove, every day, that there are still people who prioritize the safety of others without anything in return.

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