Bolivia: President inaugurates travelling ICRC exhibition

The ICRC travelling exhibition " Man in a War-torn World " was inaugurated on 30 March at the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ceremony was attended by senior national authorities, the diplomatic corps and specially invited guests. The exhibition, consisting of 52 photographs illustrating the ICRC's work and the challenges of humanitarian action, is the final stop in a tour of more than 30 cities in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

Addressing the assembled guests, Bolivian President Hugo Banzer Suárez expressed his government's appreciation of the work carried out by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and his interest in the activities of the Bolivian Red Cross. The ICRC representative pointed out that though the photos on exhibit were painful reminders of the sufferings endured by victims of war, respect for the basic rules of humanitarian law and the protection and assistance work of humanitarian organizations in aid of the victims are powerful symbols of hope for the future. He also emphasized the worldwide solidarity needed to ensure universal respect for humanitarian rules and principles.

As the exhibition opened, a training course on the international law of armed conflict was under way in La Paz for officers of the Bolivian armed forces. Opened on 28March by the Minister of Defence and the ICRC delegate responsible for the region in the presence of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the four-day course was given by the ICRC delegate in charge of relations with South American armed forces. It provided basic instruction in international humanitarian law to some 40 junior and senior officers of the army, navy and ai r force.