World Red Cross Day

Red Cross Day was celebrated for the first time throughout the world on May 8, 1948. It is the annual celebration of the birthday of the founder of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Henri Dunant. Dunant was the joint recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 with Frederic Passy, president of the French Peace Society. Dunant was rewarded for his visionary decision to establish the International Committee of the Red Cross, following his experience of the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino whose 150th anniversary is this year. His foresight, humanitarian and voluntary spirit led to the creation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the signing of the Geneva conventions. The Nobel Peace Prize was also won by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1917 and 1944.

A total of 186 independent nations have a Red Cross, Red Crescent Society, making the Red Cross movement the largest humanitarian organisation in the world. Their mission is to save lives and alleviate suffering in the local communities and around the world.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement rely on its unique network of more than 90 million volunteers to provide assistance and support to over 275 million people. These volunteers sometimes risk their lives and often make considerable personal sacrifices to help others.

It was indeed this unique network which made it possible for the three local volunteer paramedics to help the young lady who suffered a severe injury in Cambodia to travel back to Malta. Where it not for the tremendous efforts of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent regional office in Bangkok, Thailand and the Cambodian Red Cross, this mission would not have been possible.

The Malta Red Cross Society was founded on October 24, 1991. In June 1992, the society was recognised as an organisation auxiliary to the Malta Government through an Act of Parliament with unanimous support of both parties in Parliament. In September 1993, the Society was recognised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Among the major activities in the last 17 years, providing First Aid at first aid posts as well as organising training in first aid together with land and water rescue have been a core Red Cross activity. Instructors from the sister societies of Italy, Germany, UK, and Spain helped to train the local volunteers to such a high standard that in the last few years the expertise of the local instructors was such that the society is in a position to train its own instructors. This has been recognised by the Red Cross Brussels Reference Centre which monitors the standards of the Society's instructors and programmes. The certificates issued by the Society carry the European logo and are recognised throughout Europe. One of the senior volunteers, after a period of training overseas, has become a member of FACT (Field Assessment Coordination Team) of the IFRC and this makes him available for assignment overseas by the IFRC in cases where disaster response is required.

The ambulances of the Society are equipped to the standards required by the European Union and are of service to the local community and also the civil authorities. There is cooperation with the Civil Protection Department and with the help of Italian Red Cross instructors, the Gozo Branch of the local Society has provided an opportunity for members of the AFM to train as combat medics and in mine awareness exercises.

National societies of the Red Cross movement have a responsibility to disseminate International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Society has over the years organised courses for IHL, the latest of which was held this year.

The problems posed by the arrival of a large number of irregular immigrants over the last few years are immense. The Society has an employee, funded by the Swiss and Austrian Red Cross Societies, who works as a humanitarian support coordinator; he provides psycho-social support and together with UNHCR and the Jesuit Refugee Service has trained staff members of the Detention Services. The Society, utilising the Red Cross network, is exclusively responsible for tracing services and restoring family links.

The Society has three branches, two in Malta and one in Gozo. Besides carrying out first aid and ambulance activities, they organise blood donations as well as give assistance to refugees, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. Other vulnerable groups in the local community are supported through social work.

Funding to support the work of the Society has always been a problem. Besides a small grant from the government, the Society depends on the support of its corporate members and sponsors. I want to express the Society's thanks to them. The increasing challenges posed by the increasing number of irregular immigrants puts demands on the Society to increase advocacy of humanitarian issues besides supporting the vulnerable members of the local community. To support its activities, a number of projects dealing with migration, public relations and other projects have been submitted for funding by the IFRC and the EU.

One of the most positive aspects of being a member of Malta Red Cross Society is the interaction which takes place between our members and members of sister societies who uphold the same fundamental principles. Members and volunteers of the Society have participated in conferences and training seminars organised by the IFRC and other national societies in such fields as first aid, IHL, rescue training, migration , youths etc; these activities were in most part sponsored by the IFRC or the organising national societies.

The year 2009 also marks a series of significant milestones for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, particularly the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino which inspired the birth of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. On June 4 youth members led by an adult member of the Society are participating with hundreds of other youths from different national societies in the event commemorating this memorable day in the history of the Movement.

This year is also the anniversary of the founding of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Conventions intended for the protection of victims of armed conflict.

To mark these anniversaries, this year's campaign for Red Cross Day is entitled "Our World, Your Move". It is a call to action. The world faces unprecedented challenges and conflicts, ranging from conflict and mass displacement to climate change, migration and a global financial crisis.

All of us have a collective responsibility to make our world a better place. It is up to each one of us as individuals to make the move and to do something to help others. We can all make a difference.

Tomorrow, to celebrate this memorable year for the Movement, Malta Red Cross volunteers from the branches in Malta and in Gozo will be giving a demonstration of their activities at City Gate in Valletta and in Victoria in Gozo until 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Prof. Fenech is the president of the Malta Red Cross Society.