ISLAMABAD – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in collaboration with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), hosted the Global Conference on Restoring Family Links (RFL) at the PRCS National Headquarters in Islamabad. The event focused on reconnecting families separated due to international migration and other humanitarian crises.
Following successful editions in 2021 and 2023, the 2025 conference brought together eight families from across Pakistan whose relatives have become separated abroad, primarily due to migration to Europe. The conference provided a safe and supportive space for these families to connect, share their experiences, and strengthen mutual support through a global solidarity network.
Organized by the ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency along with national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide, the conference offers a unique international platform for families who have lost contact with loved ones due to natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, or international migration.
This year, multiple conference hubs are being hosted globally by Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, bringing together hundreds of families from diverse contexts to share their stories, find missing relatives, and learn from each other’s experiences.
In Pakistan, the ICRC and PRCS continue to implement the Restoring Family Links program, helping people trace missing relatives separated by migration, natural disasters, or other crises. The program is part of the global Family Links Network, which works to locate and reconnect separated family members.
The three-day hybrid conference features a mix of online and in-person sessions, including discussions with experts and families, sharing circles, and presentations on psychosocial support, coping strategies, and family reunification.
Pakistani participants are connecting virtually with families worldwide, learning how others manage uncertainty and exploring support services available to them.
Families in Pakistan seeking to reconnect with relatives abroad, particularly in Europe, can visit www.tracetheface.org, an online platform designed to help locate missing family members and restore family links.
