World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 2023: World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is celebrated on May 8 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of the Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Henry Dunant. He was born on 8th May 1828 in Geneva and was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
On this day the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement were celebrated. World Red Cross Day is also known as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. It is dedicated to the people who suffer from the shortage of food, several natural calamities, war as well as from and epidemic diseases. Basic amenities are also provided to the people who are really in need. Many governments and private organisations become active members to help needy people who suffer from several disasters.
World Red Cross Day 2023: Theme
This year World Red Cross Day or Red Crescent Day will be celebrated on the theme "Everything we do comes #fromtheheart."
The theme of the World Red Cross Day 2022 is #BeHumanKind
The theme of the World Red Cross Day 2021 was Together we are #unstoppable!
The theme of World Red Cross Day 2019 was “#love”.
The theme was focused on asking people what they love about the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It was also focused on the understanding of the public's International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by highlighting the diversity of their work and the universality of their approach by using a simple call to action: what do you #love about Red Cross and Red Crescent?
The theme of World Red Cross Day 2018 was “Memorable smiles from around the world”.
The theme of World Red Cross Day 2017 was “Less known Red Cross stories”.
The theme of World Red Cross Day 2016 was "Everywhere for Everyone".
The theme of World Red Cross Day 2015 was "Together for Humanity".
As we know that this day is celebrated to get the people relief from Natural calamities and other disaster activities in any country. Even government participates and makes themes to aware people of the activities of the volunteers and their tasks in handling every type of problem in a better way. Several campaigns were organised by Red Cross Society effectively all over the world.
The Red Cross Society's mission is to inspire, encourage and initiate all times and all forms of humanitarian activities to generate a peaceful environment. Let us tell you that the Red Cross programmes are grouped into the core areas: promoting humanitarian principles and values, disaster response, disaster preparedness, and health, and care in the community.
World Red Cross Day: History
After World War I, Red Cross was introduced as a major contribution to the peace and set up an international commission at14th International Conference of the Red Cross to study the Red Cross Truce. In 1934 the report of the Red Cross Truce was presented and its principles were approved at the 15th International Conference in Tokyo to get applicable all across the world in different regions.
In 1946 in World War II, the Tokyo proposal was put into effect. The possibility of an annual celebration was asked by the Board of Governors of the "League of the Red Cross Societies (LORCS)", later called the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies. Two years later the proposal of celebrating annually World Red Cross Day was adopted on 8 May, 1948, the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross. In 1984 officially it was named “World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day”.
Various programmes and events are organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross and its members to facilitate and promote their humanitarian activities. They even motivate people to protect their own lives and take care of the dignity of the victims. This day is celebrated by all the sections of the Red Cross organisations to help people suffering from floods, earthquakes i.e. natural disasters and protect their life from emergencies.
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What are the Seven Principles of the Red Cross Society?
The seven main principles of Red Cross Society are:
1. Humanity: The main aim is to protect life, health and to ensure respect for every human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation amongst all peoples.
2. Impartiality: No discrimination should be made on the basis of nationality, race, religious beliefs, class, or political opinions. The first and foremost motive is to help the people solely on the basis of their needs and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.
3. Neutrality: The main purpose of this principle is to keep everyone neutral in providing help and the movement should not be affected by political, racial, religious, or ideological controversies.
4. Independence: We all know that this movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the movement.
5. Voluntary Service: It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.
6. Unity: This organisation must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.
7. Universality: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all societies and people have equal status and share equal liabilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.
Red Cross Society: Works
The main focus of the Red Cross Society is to collect blood. Several ways are there due to which people are encouraged to support the Red Cross and donate blood. The work of the Red Cross is also to provide first aid, emergency response, health, and social care, prepare for disasters, refugee services, and help people in finding missing families. In fact, during times of war, the Red Cross helps to protect people in armed conflict.
After the COVID-19 outbreak, IFRC is coordinating with all National Societies to provide support, issuing advisories, personal protective equipment, providing technical support and guidance to National Societies engaged in quarantine, screening, pre-hospital, home-based, and hospital care.
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World Red Cross Day: Celebrations
- World Red Cross Day is celebrated to create a peaceful environment across the world.
- This day will also help to decrease the death rate of the people suffering from an Epidemic illness.
- When there is an emergency World Red Cross Day is used to handle and tackle the people from the vulnerable areas to provide every security.
- Conventions of Geneva are used to solve the problems of the Warring nations.
- In various vulnerable conditions, they generate several communities to help people suffering from disasters.
- Each and every kind of help from the doctors or nurses are provided by them when the Army gets injured in any war.
- It also saves people from the war.
- Even financial help is also provided by the World Red Cross to the people who suffered.
- To show the activities of the Red Cross many local types of programmes like the Rath Yatra Movement are organised.
- New Volunteers also work for the good cause in guiding the Representatives of the State Branch and the Manager of the office of the Branch. They work for almost 60 Hours which are known as the Hours of the Volunteers for the Subject that the Volunteers are given the task.
- Many Volunteers organise Blood Donations as well as anaemia Camps for the people to get aware of many activities.
- Several seminars on World Red Cross Day are organised by experienced members in many states like Kolkata, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Jammu, Kashmir, etc.
- From various countries, State Governors and also the Ministers the State attend the programmes.
- The celebration of the event is published by the T.V. Channels, Radio Talks, and also through the News Channels.
World Red Cross Day 2023: Slogans and Quotes
- The Red Needs You, Join Now!
- You’re Somebody’s Type
- Donate Blood Save Lives
- Think Safety First
- Blood Is The Donation Of Life
- 15 Minutes Can Save 3 Lives
- Youth On The Move
- With each helping hand, we can bring a big change in the lives of people around us.
- There is only one way to celebrate World Red Cross Day and that is by working together to make our society a healthier one.
Therefore, we can say that World Red Cross Day is celebrated to encourage and help people from natural calamities, disasters, war, etc. It not only protects their life but also provide financial help to overcome the situation. World red cross also promotes self-awareness and empowers youth to learn about the techniques and methods that are essential for the survival of our generation as well as the next generation.
Source: National Health Portal of India| World Red Cross Day,icrc.org
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