At Red Cross, we exalt every action motivated towards the cause of Humanity. Our volunteers are our “Heroes”, as it is they who work at close quarters with the people requiring help.

The Red Cross Movement started out of a compassionate thought of a man who wanted to help war torn strangers, who had nobody to look after them. Wounded and left to die, the war ravaged soldiers would have had no hope but for this great visionary Henry Dunant, (the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize), whose ideas of how help could reach bereft millions of people who are victims of natural and manmade disasters, guides the Red Cross movement even decades after he is no more. We celebrate his birthday as World Red Cross Red Crescent Day every year.

World Red Cross Day is dedicated to alleviating human suffering, upholding human dignity, protecting life, and preventing emergencies and natural disasters such as flood, epidemics, and earthquakes. The fundamental principles recognized by the World Red Cross Movement are impartiality, humanity, independence, neutrality, voluntary, universality, and unity. All components of Red Cross organizations uphold and respect these principles. World Red Cross Day is meant to inspire, facilitate and also promote all humanitarian activities that are carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent (IFRC) Societies and the national societies which are its members. This is the day when members of the International Red Cross movement again rededicate themselves to the need for assisting suffering people. People are reminded of the need of protecting their lives as well as maintaining the dignity of the victims of any armed conflicts.

The theme for the Red Cross Day 2014 is “My Red Cross Story”, by which we are trying to connect with anyone who has been touched by the Red Cross as stakeholder. But most of all with our volunteers, who, without any craving for remuneration or accolades, work endlessly and unrelentingly for the cause of the needy. You will find, the movement has grown with the efforts and spirit of these motivated men and women. The Red Cross movement celebrates their selfless spirit. On this day, I call upon more and more young people to join this humane and dedicated movement and help alleviate sufferings from the community where we live and from the world as a whole.


Dr S P Agarwal
Secretary General,
Indian Red Cross Society