THE World RED CROSS DAY: Everywhere for Everyone. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETY

The international Committee of Red Cross announced the theme for this year World Red Cross day. The world Red Cross day is being celebrated on every 8th May of the year all over the world in those countries Red Cross society exist. 8th May is chosen to honour the found of the society, Sir Jean Henri Dunant who was a Swiss citizen. Sir Jean Henri was born a 8th May 1828 in Geneva Switzerland.

Brief History of the Red Cross Society

It all started in 1859 when sir Jean Henri Dunant embarked on a business journey to visit the Emperor of Italy. On getting to a village called solferino in northern Italy, he met a war that left over 40,000 soldiers wounded while several thousands were dead. The war was between Italy and France against Austria. With the spirit of sympathy and empathy, he abandoned his trip to assist the wounded soldiers.

He went back to his home town Geneva, Switzerland with such experience, he decided to publish a book named A memory of solferino in 1862 where he wrote about his experience in solferino, he called for people to join him so as to establish an organization that will cater for wounded soldiers during war. He also wrote in the book that there should be trained volunteers that will serve has nurses during war. These set of volunteers will work voluntarily without expecting reward.

After several people read the book, four people joined him to establish the relief society for the wounded in 1863 which was later change to the Red Cross Society in the same year. These four people with sir Jean Henri Dunant was the first international committee of Red Cross Society.

There Red Cross National Societies in about 200 countries of world. The Red Cross and Red Crescent 🌙 movement have the same mission and vision, Operating with the seven fundamental principles of the Red Cross which are:
Humanity
Impartiality
Neutrality
Independence
Voluntary Service
Unity and
Universality.
These are the guiding principles in which the society operate and anyone who is willing to join this society must be ready to operate under these principles.
The work of the ICRC is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949, their Additional Protocols, its Statutes – and the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The ICRC is an independent, neutral organization ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. It takes action in response to emergencies and at the same time promotes respect for international humanitarian law and its implementation in national law.

The national societies includes the Red Cross in each country and its will be branded with the name of the country. The Nigerian Red Cross Society, Ghanaian Red Cross society, the American Red Cross Society, the British Red Cross and so on.

We are live savers we are not part of the fight.