The Regional Meeting of the Americas, convened from May 19 to 21, 2025, in Bogotá, Colombia, marked a pivotal moment for enhancing collaboration and technical capacity in first aid across the hemisphere. Chaired by the GFARC in partnership with the French Red Cross’s Regional Intervention Platform for the Americas and the Caribbean (PIRAC), the gathering united nearly fifty delegates of which 26 National Societies from the Americas, several European institutions, alongside representatives of the ICRC and the IFRC.

From the outset, GFARC ensured seamless coordination of logistics and thematic coherence. Delegates immediately confronted the region’s distinctive challenges: securing innovative funding streams to sustain activities, embedding life-saving skills into educational curricula, and achieving formal recognition of competencies at the national level. The array of participants (policy-makers, field practitioners, and educational authorities), enabled a comprehensive examination of operational, political, and technical facets in a single forum.

Over three intensive days, several key moments stood out. Attendees developed economic models for commercial first-aid programmes, illustrating through case studies how context-adapted training meeting international benchmarks can generate reliable revenue to underwrite continuing education, procure essential equipment, and establish networks of certified responders. The digital transformation also featured prominently: presentations on the Universal First Aid app and modular e-learning platforms demonstrated how technology can extend reach into the most remote communities. Simultaneously, sessions integrating climate change, migration, and social equity underscored the imperative to tailor practices to local realities.

Nearly a full day was devoted to crafting national action plans. Delegates conducted situational analyses of their respective countries to identify best practices and draft roadmaps aligned with the IFRC’s 2030 First Aid Vision. These blueprints blended capacity-building, public awareness campaigns, and legislative advocacy (particularly the inclusion of emergency response instruction in schools and pre-service training for health professionals).

The meeting culminated in concrete directives for regional synergy. Participants agreed to establish a shared digital platform for educational resources, enabling each National Society to pool training materials and manuals. They also recognized the vital role of public-private partnerships in securing long-term financing. Lastly, discussions highlighted the necessity of legislative engagement, urging collaboration with national authorities to define minimum certification standards and guarantee official accreditation of first responders.

Thanks to its central role in facilitating the sessions, the GFARC has strengthened its position as an international reference in first aid. At the end of the three days, each participant left with operational tools, strengthened contacts, and the determination to roll out resilient, inclusive, and sustainable first aid programs in their respective countries.