Date: 27 - 30 October 2014

With the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, increasing violence in Iraq, Syria and Gaza, and the impacts of natural disasters in Asia, Africa, and Europe, humanitarian aid organizations are facing unprecedented demand to meet the consequential needs of these crises. Mr Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the world's largest humanitarian network, the IFRC, will be in Japan to share his insights not only on his recent visit to West Africa, Iraq and East Africa, but also perspectives from his long experience in the field working with communities. My Sy will also share the outcome of his discussion with the authorities in Japan on tackling these ever increasing challenges together.

Members of the media are invited to join Mr Sy in the following activities:

Tuesday, 28 October - Field visit with Mr Sy to Namie town and Souma city, Fukushima

Mr Sy will join a meeting on nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society representatives from 17 countries. During the meeting he will visit a community affected by the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant triggered by the 2011 tsunami. He will seek to examine community recovery and risk reduction practices implemented since the Japan triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear incident) and to listen to people's stories to better understand their situation.

  -Note that media members can join Mr Sy for the entire day or a portion of the day.

  -The four-day preparedness meeting from 27 to 30 October is open to media members to cover.

  -Please contact the media representative listed below for further information.

Wednesday, 29 October

  Press Conference by Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS)/ IFRC President, Mr Tadateru Konoe and Mr Sy  

  Time: 14:00 - 15:00

  Place: Japan National Press Club (10th floor)

At the conclusion of his visit, Mr Sy will highlight some of today's most critical humanitarian challenges, such as the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa and other complex crises. He will also give an update on the cooperation between the IFRC, including its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the government of Japan. In addition, Mr Sy will provide forward-looking perspectives on the IFRC's intentions and the required commitments from the international community at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction taking place in Sendai in 2015. Mr Sy will be joined at the media briefing by Mr Tadateru Konoe, President of JRCS and IFRC.

-Note that Mr Sy (English, French, German) and Mr Konoe; (English, Japanese) can be available for one-on-one interviews following the press conference.