Sarah (Norm) Stuart-Black takes a moment to reflect and to thank you for everything you have contributed this year.

“Don’t forget” is seemingly such a small request. It comes from New Zealand Red Cross international delegate Ellie van Baaren, currently in the Philippines, where three huge disasters have recently ravaged the densely populated country, affecting countless human lives.  

As part of our response to the devasting floods and landslides across South and Southeast Asia, our international delegate, Dallas Roy, has once again packed his bags and headed to Sri Lanka to support recovery efforts following one of the country’s worst disasters in recent history.

On Saturday, 29 November, teams converged on Victoria University of Wellington to compete in our annual international humanitarian law Moot Court competition.

Humanitarian law — also known as the rules of war — applies to armed conflicts. Humanitarian law protects people who aren’t directly involved in armed conflict and restricts what those involved can do.

In recent days, intense monsoon rains and a series of powerful storms have caused widespread flooding and landslides across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. Rivers have burst their banks, entire neighbourhoods have been destroyed, and families have had to flee at short notice as water levels rose rapidly. Tragically, more than 1,400 people have lost their lives, with many still unaccounted for and millions affected across the region.