THE Crossred is an international organization that emerged in the second half of the 19th century with the aim of guaranteeing protection to people who suffer the consequences of armed conflicts. This organization came about through the mobilization of Henri Dunant, a Swiss businessman who witnessed the horrors of war when he was in Italy in 1859.
The Red Cross is present in over 190 countries, providing relief to millions of people. Here in Brazil, it has existed since the beginning of the 20th century, having been conceived by physician Joaquim de Oliveira Botelho. In all, the Brazilian Red Cross is present in 20 states and the Federal District.
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Red Cross Foundation
![The book written and published by Henri Dunant in 1862 motivated the founding of the Red Cross.[1]](/f/b607bd615e9c598cc2e5259ba13e7963.jpg)
O International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement emerged in 1863, being founded in Geneva, Switzerland. Its creation took place to meet a need of humanity at that time — the humanitarian and medical care for people facing hardship caused by wars.
This service was intended to serve both soldiers who were wounded in battle and civilians. In the case of soldiers, we can highlight the fact that, in conflicts of the 19th century, there was very limited support for those who were wounded in battle. Thus, thousands of soldiers did not receive treatment or received inadequate treatment and died from their wounds.
This situation led the Swiss businessman Jean-Henri Dunant to mobilize themselves so that these people could have some kind of assistance. What caught Dunant's attention was the end result of a battle that took place in Italy in 1859. This battle was part of the process of Unification of Italy and was fought by Italians and French against Austrians.
Jean-Henri Dunant was a businessperson who had grown up in a family Calvinistand, therefore, he had been taught to perform and value charitable deeds. In the year mentioned (1859), he made a trip to Italy to deal with business he had in Algeria with Napoleon III. During his stay, he came across the scene of the Battle of Solferino.
In that combat, thousands of soldiers were wounded, and it is estimated that the removal of the bodies from the battlefield took about three weeks. Dunant realized that care for the wounded was deficient, so he organized a group of volunteers who acted in the care of victims from both sides.
When he returned to Switzerland, Dunant organized everything you saw in a book: Remembrance of Solferino, published in 1862. Dunant's book gained fame, was translated into several languages, mobilized personalities and opened up the possibility of carrying out an action hitherto non-existent in the world.
In this context, the repercussion of Dunant's account led him and other Swiss citizens to set up a organizationvolunteerandindependent, created with the purpose of providing assistance to soldiers who were wounded in wars and to provide aid to civilians as a way to alleviate their suffering.
Between October 26 and 29, 1863, Henridunant, GustaveMoynier, Guillaume-Henri Dufour, Louis Appia and TheodoreMaunoir formed a committee that formalized the creation of the Red Cross. The following year, this committee carried out a International Conferencein Geneva, inviting representatives from European nations and three American nations: the United States, Mexico and Brazil.
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From this conference, the document "Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of Conditions for the Wounded by Armed Forces in the Field”. Basically, this document established principles to guarantee the neutrality and protection of all those who worked in the medical care of soldiers.
Henri Dunant devoted all his efforts to the success of the Red Cross and as a result his business went bankrupt in 1867. That same year, he withdrew from the Red Cross because of relationship problems with one of its members and founders, Gustave Moynier. In any case, Dunant's work in caring for soldiers at the Battle of Solferino and his efforts at the Red Cross made him go awarded the Nobel of Peace, in 1901.
Principles and mission of the Red Cross
![Members of the Greek Red Cross working on behalf of Syrian refugees arriving in the country in 2016.[2]](/f/1f30a0e78fc77b4c2e9800cbd0ebc8d6.jpg)
Currently, the Red Cross is an organization that mobilizes millions of volunteers around the world, standing present in over 190 countries and providing help to millions of other people as well. This organization gained great importance in the world after its role in the greatest conflicts of the 20th century, with emphasis on the First and Second World War.
With regard to your Principles, the Red Cross is guided by the defense of humanity, acting in an impartial, neutral, independent and voluntary manner. Furthermore, the different societies created around the world are marked by the unity and universality of action and mission.
speaking of mission, the Red Cross defines itself as an organization “that ensures humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence”. Thus, the organization works to help people suffering from armed conflicts, but it also works when there are emergency situations in the countries where it is located.
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Red Cross Structure
With regard to the structure of the Red Cross, it organizes itself on the basis of the tripod formed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, that is, the organization that emerged in 1863 with the purpose of promoting medical and humanitarian assistance. This committee is formed by five governing bodies whose function is the administration of the organization.
Within this structure are the Assembly, the Assembly Council, the President's Office, the Board of Directors and the Internal Audit Unit. Naturally, each section has its function, with the president responsible for the organization internationally, and the board is responsible for formulating the committee's strategy.
In addition, there is the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. This federation was created in 1919, shortly after World War I, with the objective of unifying the communication and coordination of actions carried out by the different Red Cross societies across the world.
Finally, there is also the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which represents the organization's 191 societies around the world. Each society represents a country in which the Red Cross operates. Reinforcing that among the principles of the Red Cross is the determination that there can only be one of them per country.
Red Cross Symbols
The Red Cross symbol was instituted as soon as the organization was created in 1863. As the organization was created by Swiss citizens, the symbol expresses a direct reference to the country. THE Swiss flag it served as an inspiration, however, with the colors inverted. Thus, the square with a red background and white cross was converted into a white background square and red cross.
In the 20th century, a new image was added to the symbol. Under pressure from the Turks, the crescent moon was incorporated into the organization under the claim that the cross was a symbol associated with Christianity. Thus, from 1929 onwards, a red crescent part of the Red Cross symbol in Muslim countries has been added.
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Brazilian Red Cross
In Brazil, the Red Cross has been present since the beginning of the 20th century. The Brazilian version of this organization was established by an initiative of the physician Joaquim de Oliveira Botelho, which mobilized from 1907. That year, he managed to gather members from different areas in an event in Rio de Janeiro responsible for thinking about the bases of the Red Cross in our country.
The following year, on December 5, 1908, the foundation of the Brazilian Red Cross was made official, as its statute was in fact established. In 1912, the Brazilian Red Cross gained international recognition, and its performance gained strength during the First World War. Its first president was Oswaldo Cruz.
In 1916 a women's section of the organization emerged. This section was named Red Cross ladies and it was linked to the training of nurses in our country. Women's work and the increase in the number of nurses are directly related to Brazil's participation in the First World War.
Currently, the Brazilian Red Cross continues to operate, being present in 20 states plus the Federal District. Its headquarters are in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Image credits
[1]Olga Popova and Shutterstock
[2] Alpha Media Production and Shutterstock
By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher
