May 8 – World Red Cross Day: Honoring Humanitarian Heroes
May 8 is observed worldwide as World Red Cross Day, also known as World Red Crescent Day. This important occasion marks the birth anniversary of Sir Henry Dunant, the visionary founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The day serves as an opportunity to recognize the remarkable humanitarian work of the ICRC and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It also raises awareness of the ongoing need for compassionate humanitarian action across the globe.
First observed in 1948, World Red Cross Day commemorates the centenary of the inaugural International Red Cross Conference held in 1863. At that historic meeting, delegates from 16 countries came together to establish an international organization dedicated to assisting and protecting victims of conflict and ensuring respect for the wounded on the battlefield. Since then, the day has become an annual occasion for national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to promote the core ideals of the movement: peace, neutrality, unity, and universality.
