A doctoral dissertation titled “The Role of Public Relations in Marketing Humanitarian Diplomacy: An Analytical Study of the Website and Facebook Page of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad.
The examination committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Baqir Mousa Jassim, with Prof. Dr. Fatima Abdul Kadhim Hamad serving as the supervisor. Committee members included Assist. Prof. Dr. Jassim Taresh Ghudhaib, Assist. Prof. Dr. Ria Qahtan Ahmed, Prof. Dr. Haider Ahmed Alou Al-Qutbi, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Nahla Zaidan Al-Hourani as the external examiner.
The study aimed to examine the role of international public relations in promoting humanitarian diplomacy within the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The researcher adopted a descriptive survey methodology with an analytical approach to examine the communication content published on the Federation’s official website and Facebook page through a comprehensive content analysis.
The findings showed that the Federation’s digital platforms primarily focused on humanitarian relief and structural issues, with peace, justice, health, and environmental topics receiving the greatest attention. In contrast, education and economic issues were given comparatively limited coverage.
The study recommended strengthening the Federation’s communication efforts by expanding media coverage of structural issues, particularly education and socio-economic development. It also emphasized increasing content highlighting youth training and empowerment initiatives to enhance professional capacities, while promoting greater cooperation with both international and local media organizations.
The outcomes of the study are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
