The IFRC Solferino Academy convened a global Think Tank in Rome that brought together Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders, external experts, and partners to explore a shared challenge: how to lead humanitarian action in a world where realities are shifting faster than the systems designed to respond to them.

Equal in uncertainty

Hosted at the Temple of Hadrian with the Italian Red Cross and the Rome Chamber of Commerce, the Think Tank opened with a powerful recognition that all National Societies, regardless of size or geography, are “equal in uncertainty.” Leaders acknowledged that no single institution holds all the answers, but all share a responsibility to engage with uncertainty thoughtfully, courageously, and collectively. The historic venue itself, generously made available by the Rome Chamber of Commerce, underscored the theme—having served over centuries as a temple, hospital, and stock exchange, it stood as a space where past and future visibly intersect.

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Decisive optimism and adaptive leadership

In the opening address to Movement leaders, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain framed the core dilemma: systems, policies, and procedures built for a slower era can no longer keep pace with transformations measured in weeks and months. He called for “decisive optimism” — the determination to face global crises head-on while trusting in collective problem-solving to produce faster, more coherent responses.

Chapagain outlined three anchors for adaptive leadership: humility and transparency to acknowledge uncertainty and invite better ideas; empowerment that turns crisis into a catalyst for creativity rather than paralysis; and an unapologetic commitment to core values to provide stability amid rapid change.

Leadership and identity in a fragmented world

Opening reflections from Italian leaders brought the conversation from mindset to context. Rosario Valastro, President of the Italian Red Cross, described a world in which familiar maps no longer match the territory—with principles and rights once considered untouchable increasingly questioned. He argued for leadership that remains steadfast in values while flexible in methods, defined by the courage to build bridges where others build walls, and by strength rooted in trust, proximity, and outstretched hands rather than visibility or volume.

Francesco Rocca, President of the Lazio Region, invited participants to confront the uncomfortable reality of “selective humanity” and the erosion of trust in humanitarian workers. Rather than focusing only on governance structures, he urged the Movement to return to a fundamental question: “Who are we?” — positioning the Think Tank as a pivotal moment to reflect on humanitarian identity in the 21st century.

Naming a reordered world

The opening high-level panel, The Shifting World – Geopolitics, Power, Trust & Humanitarian Space, examined what comes after a post-1945 order that no longer reflects lived realities. Panelists described leadership today as a form of “acrobatics,” balancing calm with improvisation amid fragile trust, accelerating technologies, climate stress, and geopolitical fragmentation.

Multilateralism was scrutinized without nostalgia: participants traced its erosion through undermined norms and the exclusion of local actors, yet highlighted enduring breakthroughs such as the High Seas Treaty, pandemic treaty advances, and new development finance arrangements driven by states in the Global South and “middle powers.” Rather than declaring multilateralism dead, the discussion pointed toward its evolution—cumbersome but still capable of adaptation when pressure for cooperation persists.

Networked multilateralism and custodial leadership

Across the discussion, a people-centred perspective anchored the analysis. Leaders were described as temporary custodians entrusted with institutions that serve millions, with a duty to leave them stronger for those who follow. Narratives portraying aid as “saving the world” were challenged — particularly given domestic investments in countries such as India and Indonesia that far exceed inflows of climate finance.

The panel advanced the idea of “networked multilateralism” — moving from rigid hierarchies to horizontal hubs where countries and communities share resources, learning, and locally generated solutions. In a world where authority is increasingly tied to credible communication amid misinformation, the panel suggested that coherence should flow from shared humanitarian values while solutions emerge closest to needs.

Truth, technology, and legitimacy

A future-scenarios session on Truth, Technology & the New Architectures of Power explored how algorithms, platforms, and data infrastructures are reshaping truth, trust, and authority. Participants examined plausible “worlds of 2027,” in which platform governance and AI systems function as de facto public infrastructures, and where legitimacy becomes fluid, local, and constantly renegotiated.

A key insight was that technology itself is not the core disruption—trust is. As low-code and no-code tools spread, problem-solving power broadens, yet biases, data quality, and verification challenges remain significant. Neutrality and humanitarian legitimacy were seen as increasingly contested in digital environments that reward speed, outrage, and identity over accuracy, making the information space an operational frontline with direct implications for access, safety, and community well-being.

Geopolitics as operational reality

Another “situation-room” style session on The Reordered World – Power, Economies & the New Global Landscape translated geopolitical and macroeconomic trends into near-term operational implications. Speakers highlighted a more distributed landscape of influence, with expanding South–South cooperation, new economic blocs, and alternative financing models complementing long-standing partnerships.

At the same time, participants reflected on changing risk environments in which humanitarian personnel, including Red Cross and Red Crescent teams, may face growing exposure even in contexts where trust remains high. Discussions on financing stressed the need for diversified portfolios—such as insurance-based mechanisms for specific climate risks and new public and private actors—rather than a single “silver bullet” solution. Expectations that emerging technologies like AI will resolve systemic constraints were tempered by recognition that robust data governance and sharing remain essential foundations.

Youth as present leaders

A stand-up session on Decoding Generation Z: Signals for Leadership offered a dynamic, embodied look at how younger generations are reshaping legitimacy, participation, and expectations of leadership. The session underscored that young people are not disengaged or waiting to be invited in; they are already organizing, mobilizing, and responding to crises—often more quickly than formal institutions.

From civic movements to climate action, Gen Z is stepping into leadership by necessity. Rather than a story of deficit, this was framed as a story of capacity. For the Movement, the central question is not whether young people will lead, but whether institutions are ready to move with them—recognizing, supporting, and learning from youth-driven initiatives while building relevance and trust across generations.

Day 2: a modern Roman Forum

If Day 1 set the intellectual horizon and surfaced emerging realities, Day 2 focused on how the IFRC network can respond. Structured as a Roman Forum session, it created an open, conversational space for National Society leaders to reflect on the contexts they face and to explore together whether existing decision-making and cooperation models are fit for a world of new realities.

Guiding questions included how decision-making systems can better support adaptation, effectiveness, and solidarity; what level of collective ambition should be set for the future of international cooperation; and which principles or models might make cooperation more effective, fair, and future-ready. Leaders were invited to bring concrete situations, leadership dilemmas, and signals from their own contexts, ensuring the discussion was grounded in real-world experience rather than abstraction.

A mindset for speed and solidarity

Across both days, a shared picture emerged: humanitarian action is operating in an era of fragmented power, accelerating change, and heightened risk—but also in a world rich with local agency, youth leadership, and new forms of cooperation. The Think Tank did not aim for consensus or a single blueprint. Instead, it invited leaders to cultivate a mindset capable of moving at the speed of change while remaining anchored in humanitarian principles — a mindset of decisive optimism, responsive governance, networked multilateralism, and deep trust in communities and volunteers.

As the IFRC Solferino Academy continues to convene and accompany National Societies, the insights from Rome will inform ongoing work on leadership, innovation, and the future of humanitarian action across the network.

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