World Red Cross Day: Significance And Theme

Every year, May 8 is celebrated as World Red Cross Day. The day is celebrated on this day because it marks the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The day is celebrated annually in order to commemorate principles of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It is meant to pay tribute to the participants of the event and their contribution for helping people in need. After World War I, Red Cross was introduced in order to call for peace. This was done as part of international commission of 14th International Conference of the Red Cross. Red Cross Truce principles were approved at 15th International Conference at Tokyo in 1934.

 

World Red Cross Day 2018: The day is celebrated on May 8 worldwide
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The permission to make World Red Cross Day an annual event was by the International Federation of the Red Cross Societies (IFRC) General Assembly to League of the Red Cross Societies (LORCS). The day was first celebrated in 1948, when it was officially named as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.

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The day is celebrated internationally in order to reduce their suffering and enable them to live a more dignified life. The idea is to protect them from emergencies and natural disasters such as epidemics, earthquakes and floods. The day is celebrated in Red Cross Organisations across the world by helping people with independence, humanity, impartiality, universality, unity and neutrality - the fundamental principles of the organisation.

As part of the celebration of the day, International Committee of Red Cross and its members organise programmes and events that encourage volunteers to promote their humanitarian activities. The volunteers are supposed to help people who are suffering from any kind of problem. The day motivates people to protect their own lives and ensure dignity of victims.

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World Red Cross Day Significance

Over the years, World Red Cross Day has become an important day historically. The day plays a big role in hosting life-saving events and assisting the vulnerable sections of the society around the world. It aims at providing relief to people who are in distress and desolation because of natural calamities, epidemic diseases and war. The celebration of the day is done on a large scale so to as make more and more people aware of its relevance. The idea is to attract both government and private organisations to actively participate in the event and help people suffering from any kind of mishap. For instance, people affected by World War I were offered peace and relief by members of Red Cross in 1922.

On this day, 97 million members and volunteers of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are honoured for one of the largest humanitarian network of relief fund which serves more than 170 countries. Over 240 million people have reported to be benefitted from the free assistance of Red Cross workers.

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Health and social programmes, medical services and natural disaster relief are provided to people. Some primary objectives of World Red Cross Day include providing relief and peace to people who are suffering from injuries and prevent deaths from disasters. The idea is to participate actively in reducing casual death rates because of epidemic diseases. People in living in vulnerable areas with minimal healthcare facilities are taught to manage public health emergencies in the right and most efficient way.

The day aims to empower its members, civil societies and other involved local communities to provide immediate response to disasters in difficult situations. A lot of effort is put on reinstating human dignity. People wounded in the battlefield are facilitated with nursing care. The aim is to avail treatment for prisoners of war and help searching missing people in times of conflict. Protection and nursing care is also provided to people in civil populations.

World Red Cross Day Theme

The theme for this year's World Red Cross Day is "Memorable smiles from around the world." In accordance with the theme, the events and programmes this year will focus on bringing memorable smiles in people's faces everywhere. As part of the celebration, TV channels, radio shows and news channels feature various events of the day. Various health check-ups and blood donation camps are organised by volunteers of the organisation.

Lots of events are organised in order to encourage people to save their lives and look after other victims. 

In the previous years, the theme for World Red Cross Day have been the likes of "Less Known Red Cross Stories", "Everywhere for everyone", "Together for Humanity" and "Youth on the Move" to name a few.

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