International Conference for Families of Missing Persons 2025

More than 900 participants from over 50 countries – family members of missing persons, experts, and representatives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – gathered from November 11 to 13 during the IV International Conference on Families of Missing Persons, organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This is the only forum in the world entirely dedicated to the voices of families living in uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones.

Disappearances are a drama unfolding every day – during armed conflicts, migration, disasters, or in situations of violence. By the end of 2024, more than 284,000 missing persons were registered in the Family Links network, although the actual scale is much larger.

The conference is a space where families can talk about their suffering, needs, and expectations of the international community. It is also a place for exchanging experiences, building solidarity, and formulating appeals for specific actions.

Families who fight every day for information about their loved ones also participate in the conference.

Relatives of missing persons return to the most difficult moments of their lives during such conferences.

During the closing ceremony, an appeal from families of missing persons was read out, prepared by nearly a thousand families from around the world. It is a call to governments, media, humanitarian organizations, and public opinion: “The disappearance of a loved one destroys the foundation of family and community. Hear our voice and help us strengthen it. Together we can make a change.”