Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga, President of the ICRC, Mr. Michel Convers, head of the ICRC's Operational Support Department and Mr. Andreas Lendorff, head of its General Relief Division, were in Brussels from 8 to 11 February to take part in celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of the Belgian Red Cross and to meet representatives of the Belgian Government and the European Community.

The National Society's 125th anniversary ceremony took place on 9 February in the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians, members of the Government and the diplomatic corps, representatives of other National Societies and 2,000 Belgian Red Cross volunteers. Speeches were made by H.R.H. Prince Albert of Belgium, who is President of the National Society, Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga, Mr. Mario Villarroel Lander, President of the League, and the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister.