The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe is proud to announce that Ms Kristiina Kumpula, Secretary-General of the Finnish Red Cross, and Dr Abbas Gullet, Vice President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Secretary-General of Kenya Red Cross Society, are the two laureates of the 2017 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe. With this award, the jury of the North-South Prize honours two personalities who have dedicated their lives to promote humanitarian work and foster human solidarity.
Ms Kumpula has contributed to the North-South dialogue by the promotion of health and social rights both in her home country, Finland, and in East Africa. Ms Kumpula has been actively working with the international components of the Red Cross Movement and is currently serving as Chair of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Constitutional Review Advisory Group.
Dr Abbas Gulet played an instrumental role in building the Kenyan Red Cross Society into a leading society both in the African continent and within the Movement, increasing its capacity to respond to humanitarian crises in Kenya and beyond. Dr Gullet currently serves as Vice-President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
