World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

‘World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day’ is an annual celebration of the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is celebrated on 8 May each year. This date is the anniversary of the birth of Henry Dunant, who was born on May 8, 1828. He was the founder of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize.

The idea for an ‘annual action that could take hold in the whole world and contributes towards peace’ was introduced just after World War I. This ‘Red Cross Truce’ initiative, was formulated at 14th International Conference of the Red Cross. Its report, was presented and approved in 15th International Conference of the Red Cross in Tokyo in 1934. However these proposals was further deliberated only after World War II, in 1946, by the League of Red Cross Societies (LRCS), renamed the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 1991. Two years later, having considered the principles of the truce and its applicability across different regions of the world, the proposal of an annual International Red Cross Day was adopted. And the first Red Cross Day was celebrated on 8 May 1948. The official title of the day changed over time, and became ‘World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day’ in 1984.