Français
The search took many months. Finding a successor to Christine Moizan as president of the Saint-Barthélemy Red Cross regional delegation was no easy task. But it was ultimately successful. Since Wednesday, April 8, the many people involved with the association on the island have known the name of their new president. He is a man with extensive experience in healthcare: Éric Djamakorzian, the current director of the Irénée de Bruyn Hospital.
A meeting with some of the volunteers was organized on Saturday, April 11, at the hospital, to officially mark the president’s inauguration. “We had a hard time finding someone, but Michèle (Vaillot) went fishing and reeled in a big one,” jokes the former president of the delegation, Jean-Noël Machon, with relief. At his side, welcoming Éric Djamakorzian to the organization, was the national administrator of the Red Cross, Joël Destom. He conveyed the message of the national president, Caroline Cross, who visited Saint-Barthélemy in December 2025 (JSB 1542).
“The Red Cross holds a special place in society,” declared Joël Destom. “It is a chain of humanity expressed through a multitude of daily acts. It transcends us.” ” While he paid tribute to the work done by Christine Moizan during her four years as president, the national administrator also had a thought “for all the Red Cross volunteers currently working in the Middle East.”
Shared values
For Éric Djamakorzian, the meeting is an opportunity to make initial contact with the volunteers. “We don’t know each other well, but my first greeting goes out to you, all the volunteers, and my second to the leadership team and the former president,” he said. “I feel the pressure because I’ll have to build on everything you’ve accomplished. But I’m still active, so I plan to rely on all of you and your kindness.”
The new president cited two reasons that led him to accept this new role. “The Red Cross’s values align with my own,” he assured. “Moreover, I had no prior involvement with any organizations on the island.” Éric Djamakorzian described the association as “a link in an international chain,” recognizing the importance of a local structure. “My goal is to strengthen what is already working well and to work with you to find new avenues for activities,” he concluded.
Éric Djamakorzian is the fifth president of the Red Cross territorial delegation in Saint Barthélemy, which was established in 2005. The association now has about forty volunteers on the island, actively participates in several major initiatives such as emergency response in the event of natural disasters, and offers numerous services (a charity shop in Gustavia, first aid training, academic support, etc.).
