Dmitry Shevtsov: We have something to be proud of for the 105th anniversary of the Belarusian Red Cross

Deputy Chairman of the Standing Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly on Health, Physical Culture, Family and Youth Policy, Secretary General of the Belarusian Red Cross Dmitry Shevtsov on the air of the talk show "Budni" on the YouTube channel "SBTV" and "Alfa Radio" told about volunteers of silver age, the 105th anniversary of the organization and the main task - the education of patriots.

According to Dmitry Shevtsov, volunteers of silver age are the pride of the organization:

About 13-14% of all our volunteers are volunteers of silver age. This is important because people who are retiring (and there are still a lot of very energetic people among them) are joining us – they don’t want to stay at home, they need constant movement and communication. They come in, they become part of our programs, they help, they care for the same older people. Of course, these volunteers also teach our youth. Their life experiences and love for people are also passed on to others. Therefore, in various programs, we use the help of volunteers of silver age and very much appreciate it.

The presenter recalled that the Belarusian Red Cross was established on September 6, 1921, and in 2026 the organization celebrates its 105th anniversary.

Dmitry Shevtsov told which organization came to this date:

- The date is very significant. Just these days, the Belarusian Red Cross Congress took place, at which we summed up the results of the past five-year plan and saw what we achieved. We are always moving forward purposefully and progressively. Today, such services, which work year-round, such as medical and social services, rapid response teams, assistance and care for the elderly, children, disabled people and others, are constantly developing. We are finding new ways of implementation. We have been working very closely with relevant ministries. In terms of assistance in various cataclysms, we work very closely with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. We are very grateful to this agency for seeing us as partners and trusting us. That's what we discussed. Moreover, we have adopted a strategy for the development of the Belarusian Red Cross for the next five years, outlined the directions and markers that we must achieve. Therefore, when we celebrate our 125th anniversary and 150th anniversary, we will also be proud, because today we are among the best in the world in certain areas of activity of the Belarusian Red Cross.

Speaking about the current challenges, he stressed that the organization should be ready for everything:

- I mean, we have to prepare for everything. Who could have imagined that a country as calm as Belarus would suddenly find itself in the midst of a migration crisis? But life offers completely different scenarios. Natural and man-made disasters, the development of assistance to the disabled, the elderly, the poor. It still needs to be developed. Because today we work in a completely peaceful country, but nevertheless we must clearly understand that the welfare state cares about all categories of citizens, especially those who need additional protection. But without the involvement of society in this process, social support will be reduced to a soulless bureaucracy. And when we involve a large number of people, young people in the form of volunteers through public organizations, through the Belarusian Red Cross, we raise a real generation of patriots. This is the main task of the Belarusian Red Cross: to educate a true patriot who will love his country, take care of the elderly, always lend a helping hand to those who need it. When a person is brought up in the heart of love and kindness, he will always defend the interests of his country.

The talk show “Budney” is released on weekdays in the morning on “Alfa Radio”. Each issue discusses the most relevant topics from the life of the country and the world. Political scientists, scientists, public figures and journalists of leading media participate in the discussions. See the full version of the program on the VIDEOBEL.BY website and on the SBTV YouTube channel.