Happy New Year! Thanks to all the readers who have already completed our feedback survey. If you haven't yet taken part, it's not too late, as we have decided to keep the survey open until 31 January. We begin this month's newletter with a word on the ICRC's response to the 12 January earthquake in Haiti. Next, we bring you an interview with the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Reto Stocker, followed by the latest on ICRC operations in Yemen. We report on the international humanitarian law course co-hosted by the ICRC and Santa Clara Law School's Center for Global Law and Policy and wrap up with a peek into the ICRC's historical archives in Geneva, which go back to 1863. 

The ICRC Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada announces the launch of the ICRC's 2010 annual budget. We also take the opportunity to share with you the publication of "Professional Standards for Protection Work." In addition, we bring you news from the recent Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World and a look at the ICRC's own history with the Nobel Peace Prize, given last week's ceremony in Oslo. Finally, we remain troubled by the abduction of our colleagues in Chad and Darfur and include an update on the situation. Our thoughts are with them and their families, and we hope for their prompt release.

This month the ICRC Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada shares two important initiatives with our newsletter readers. The first concerns the plight of internally displaced persons and the need to help them outside of camp settings. The second, in connection with Universal Children's Day on 20 November, is a call for children to be offered better protection in countries at war. We also carry an interview with the ICRC's deputy head of delegation in Somalia and promote the ICRC's Flickr photostream. Finally, we share the troubling news that Gauthier Lefèvre was abducted in West Darfur, Sudan, on 22 October and Laurent Maurice was abducted in eastern Chad on 9 November.

This month the ICRC Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada welcomes our new Deputy Head of Delegation, Martin de Boer. He comes to us from Sri Lanka where he served since 2006, first as Head of sub-delegation in Batticaloa and then in Vavuniya. His previous posts included assignments in Afghanistan, Gaza and Nepal. In this issue, we explain the relationship between the ICRC and the ICRC's Special Fund for the Disabled, report on the humanitarian situation in Pakistan and provide an overview of a recent international humanitarian law course for law faculty held in Washington. In addition, we highlight the latest versions of the International Review of the Red Cross and the Emergency Items Catalogue.

The ICRC Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada welcomes Mary Werntz as its new head, Geoff Loane having moved to the ICRC's London office. There's an interview with ICRC forensics specialist Morris Tidball-Binz, a report on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and details of the recent trip to Uganda that the ICRC organized for U.S. government representatives. Finally, we take a look at an indispensable part of any ICRC delegation – the Welcome Department.

We say good-bye to head of delegation Geoff Loane, who is about to take over as head of the ICRC's London office. We also say good-bye to Michael Khambatta, deputy head of delegation since 2007. At the same time, we extend a warm welcome to Mary Werntz, incoming head of delegation. Also in this issue: the ICRC's celebrations in honour of the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, the second round of research on attitudes toward international humanitarian law, the ICRC in Afghanistan and the work of the ICRC's delegates to the armed forces.

This month the ICRC rejoices for our colleague Eugenio Vagni who is free after his long captivity in the Philippines. In this month's newsletter, we also look at our 150th anniversary party at the Newseum in Washington. Jürg Montani from the ICRC's Mulilateral Diplomacy and Humanitarian Coordination Unit in Geneva shares some thoughts on the debates around humanitarian action today. We also bring you an update from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a report on the 27th annual edition of the international humanitarian law course organized by the ICRC and the Polish Red Cross in Warsaw.

This month, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino. After intense fighting left more than 6,000 dead and 40,000 wounded, Henry Dunant and local women cared for the wounded and dying in the church of Castiglione. The experience prompted Dunant to write "A Memory of Solferino", and it was his call to alleviate the suffering of the wounded that inspired the founding of the Red Cross, now the world's largest humanitarian network. Activities this month include a gathering of youth in Solferino itself, while in the United States and Canada, the ICRC is sharing the "Our World – At War" exhibition with the public.

On 8 May, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement launched a year-long celebration to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino and the birth of the Red Cross/Red Crescent idea. ICRC events around the world are drawing attention to the plight of civilians affected by conflict and encouraging everyone to make a difference. The "Our World. Your Move." web portal provides full details. We are also very pleased to be bringing "Our World – At War" to the United States and Canada. Five award-winning war photographers unite in this exhibition to bring stories of loss and suffering in war to the world's attention.

This year, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino and the 60th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions. To mark these occasions, we share more information about the launch of the "Our World. Your Move" campaign and its web portal.

In this newsletter, we bring you an interview with Juan-Pedro Schärer, who heads the ICRC's Iraq delegation. We also share the latest information on our colleagues abducted in the Philippines two months ago. Finally, we provide links to resources marking International Women's Day, celebrated on 8 March, and World Water Day, coming up on 22 March.

The ICRC Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada brings you a closer look at our work at Guantanamo. We also share with you an update on the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka and an interview following this month's hostage releases in Colombia. Finally, we invite you to check out the ICRC's YouTube channel, where you can watch videos on ICRC activities around the world.

In the first issue of 2009, we bring you an interview with the head of the ICRC's regional delegation in Washington, the latest update on our activities in Gaza, a look at our work in multilateral affairs and a link to an extensive array of online international humanitarian law resources.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of ICRC News and Notes, the monthly newsletter of the Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada. We hope that you will enjoy reading about the ICRC's activities in the United States and Canada and about our operations worldwide.