White Helmets join Syria’s National Emergency Response Ministry

The Syria Civil Defence, known worldwide as the White Helmets, received the Right Livelihood Award in 2016 “for their outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of the Syrian civil war.”

Since 2013, thousands of volunteers — men and women from communities across Syria — have risked their lives to save people trapped under the rubble of bombed buildings, always acting with humanity, regardless of political or religious background. Their courage helped draw global attention to the suffering of civilians and the urgent call to end the violence.

Recently, the White Helmets decided to integrate into Syria’s newly established Ministry of Disaster and Emergency Response Management, marking the end of their journey as a non-governmental organisation. While we continue to acknowledge and honour the reasons for which they were awarded, their new status means that we will not be engaging with them in the same way going forward.

We remain deeply grateful for their extraordinary contribution as a non-governmental organisation and wish them success as they continue their vital work within public institutions.