Nothing is more urgent than saving lives in crisis. As risks such as climate changes, disasters, conflicts and diseases are spreading over larger areas and occurring more frequently, many people are losing their lives due to an inappropriate treatment caused by blood supply shortage. The global community is making a continuous effort to save lives through various programs such as fostering of voluntary blood donors, research on safe blood transfusion, development of medical technologies and education on life-sharing, and thereby aims to secure a stable balance between supply and demand of blood.

For more and safer life-saving operations, we need to utilize collective intelligence and engage in open dialogue. Therefore, a life-saving network to exchange ideas, insights and knowledge between global leaders from diverse areas including health, education and policy making is deemed necessary.

Against this backdrop, the theme for the Save the World Global Forum 2019, a global forum where the people concerned seek continuous cooperation and innovative solutions, highlights the importance of Establishing Global Networks for Sustainable Relief Efforts to Save Lives. In order to build a collaborative system for relief operations, and to enhance people’s awareness of blood donation and expand voluntary unpaid blood donation, this year’s Save the World Global Forum will offer an opportunity for experts from all walks of life including international organizations, governments, medical institutions, academic institutions and civil society organizations to meet with each other and discover life-saving strategies and areas of cooperation from different perspectives.

The Forum serves as a platform enabling the people concerned to collaborate effectively for the implementation of global common goals. We plan to demonstrate our commitment to achieve the common good and adopt a joint declaration that includes future implementation strategies, and expect to help strengthening individual capabilities and lead complementary and collaborative culture.