Q and A with the Italian Red Cross President

On Friday, May 8, 2015, Italian Red Cross president Francesco Rocco visited our Manhattan headquarters to learn more about our work here in Greater NY and to speak to volunteers about the impact of our shared mission. Dr. Rocco was in NYC to meet with UN representatives about the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. Below is a short Q and A with Dr. Rocca.

Francesco Rocco (L) alongside Josh Lockwood (R),
Regional CEO, Greater NY Red Cross  

Q: What does the New York Red Cross represent to you?

A: This chapter has the capacity to respond to many needs in this complex city. It’s incredible the number of operations you have every day after local emergencies…and taking care of families and providing assistance. Of course I was impressed by the huge activity you made after Sandy. This chapter in particular gives a strong meaning to the word resiliency, the capacity of the community to respond. This is something that impressed me a lot.

Q: What is the common thread between Red Cross/Red Crescent volunteers in Italy, Syria, Nepal and New York?

A: The first principle: humanity. We put the human being at the center of our action, the center of our mind and work, so we share this responsibility which unites us all in this universal mission. All around the world, and I visit a lot of nations, we always see the same commitment to be close to the most vulnerable and those most in need. So this is something that unites all of us.

Q: Do you have a message for Red Cross volunteers in Greater NY?

A: Me and my colleagues in the Italian Red Cross think the New York Red Cross chapter is a model on how to organize the services locally. I especially want to recognize the emergency response efforts, and I want to say how proud we are as a movement about the work carried out by this chapter!

To learn more about the Italian Red Cross response to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, click here.