Stories from the Field

In April, HCI team members headed to Dubai to participate in the largest humanitarian event in the Middle East; the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD). The conference brings together all of the key actors working in international development and humanitarian assistance with the goals of sharing knowledge, increasing cooperation, and enhancing effectiveness.

The event itself consists of conferences, exhibitions, and interactive training sessions. All three of these elements inform attendees of the latest and most effective trends and tools available in global assistance. They give local actors access to a truly international knowledge base, and allow them to increase their effectiveness by building upon the experience of others. By sharing ideas and reporting what has been successful, and what has not, they can ensure that mistakes are not repeated, and effective strategies are able to reach as large a number of people as possible.

This year, HCI’s team was invited to participate in the special pre-conference event organized by DIHAD and themed around the challenges to delivering humanitarian assistance. The response to both manmade and natural and disasters was discussed extensively and HCI’s experiences in Palestine and Lebanon were shared with the rest of the attending group which included members of several key international agencies such as The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

During the three day long multi session conference, titled “Global Health Challenges of Tomorrow: Impact & Response, which featured several talks by leading experts from all around the world such as the chief of the public health sector of the UNHCR, the regional director of UNICEF, the operating officer of the World Food Program as well as many others, HCI’s team contemplated the most current health statistics and most cutting edge innovations in the field of disease prevention and response. A myriad of topics pertaining to global health were discussed; from killer diseases of the poor to health priorities in disasters and crises, from children’s heart diseases in developing countries to hospital preparedness for mass casualties in Palestine.

At the exhibition HCI’s team was one of the 150 regional and international NGOs that were present at DIHAD, in addition to presenting our work and experience, we were also given the opportunity to meet with other organizations and companies that specialize in supplying a multitude of diverse goods and services for disaster response operations, humanitarian aid projects and development programs. This was an excellent opportunity for networking as this event was attended by key decision makers, procurement and logistics officials from leading international, regional & local NGOs, UN Agencies, Governmental Departments and international associations. This opportunity to interface with governmental and corporate representatives creates greater synergy and effectiveness. Ultimately, this benefits those in need as it reduces waste, allowing services to be delivered where they are needed quickly, responsibly, and sustainably. By bringing together a diverse and international set of participants, the conference provides global knowledge and resources to those striving to find solutions to local issues.

In addition, the team attended specialized workshops given by experts from around the globe such as tools for community empowerment, the logistics in the provision of health service and others. The experience provided sound technical advice which can be used in the field to better address health related challenges. The participants benefited greatly from the transfer and sharing of knowledge and resources through debates and dialogue amongst each other, through exposure to the showcased emerging trends in the development field, and through networking amongst global and local actors.

DIHAD has become one of the premier events of the international aid community, one which is widely referenced and held in high esteem. It is through conferences like DIHAD that aid organizations can work more effectively together, and avoid duplication, conflict, or confusion amongst their agendas. For all of these reasons HCI was, and will continue to be, a very proud participant.