On May 8 2013, the Canadian Red Cross honoured World Red Cross Day - a day where people all over the world, united in their belief in humanity and their desire to make the world a better place, celebrated 150 years of humanitarian action by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
May 8 was chosen as World Red Cross Day to honour the birthday of Henry Dunant, the Swiss founder of the Red Cross. His idea of a volunteer-based humanitarian organization has grown into an international movement that is now made up of 187 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The Canadian Red Cross is proud to be a part of the Movement as we continue to work with other National Societies to provide relevant and timely humanitarian service to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from crisis.
In the 150 years since the founding of the Red Cross, the nature of war and other crises has continuously evolved, raising new challenges for humanitarian action. Today, as it has always done, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement builds on its history, adapting its humanitarian response to face new challenges, with the sole ambition of serving the most vulnerable.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian network, made up of millions of volunteers and professionals working in close proximity with those in need. Over the past decade, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff have supported more than 160 million people in emergency response, ranging from disaster to civil unrest.
Congratulations to all National Societies, staff, volunteers and humanitarian partners worldwide in helping to achieve this extraordinary 150-year milestone.
Visit the
IFRC or the
ICRC to learn more about the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement over the past 150 years.