PHNOM PENH: Cambodia is playing host to the ASEAN Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Societies this week where RCRC youth delegates are preparing to meet with leaders to present their ideas for the future direction of the organization’s humanitarian efforts.

On September 18, the second annual RCRC Youth Forum was held in Phnom Penh where eleven groups of young delegates from Southeast Asia gathered to discuss topics like youth empowerment, gender equality, climate change and mental health.

Representative for the Cambodian Red Cross Youth Delegation, Duong Tep Sokunthea, said that the discussions are meant to encourage young people to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those issues, as well as to study some of the root causes of issues that affect our planet. She said that the delegations were divided into five groups for discussion.

"Each group discusses the challenges related to their topic, identifies one as a priority, and studies why those issues are present and how they need to be addressed. They ask themselves, 'What can I do to help solve the problem?'" she said.

During the second day of discussions, the youth delegates will select one of the five topics to collaborate on studying more in-depth so that they can prepare a joint statement based on the topic to present to the 20th South-East Asia RCRC Leaders Meeting on September 21 at the Sokha Hotel.

The RCRC Summit is being held in Cambodia from September 17-22 and is another display of Cambodia’s interest and readiness in hosting regional events like the SEA Games and ASEAN Summit that bring together the international community in the Kingdom.