Solferino: Making their move for a better world

Last weekend of 26-28 June 2009, thousands of people gathered together in Solferino to mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino and celebrate the birth of an idea that led to the founding of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. With commitments in Indonesia with the tsunami operation, I was so disappointed not to make it to Solferino, but I have followed it closely through friends and Red Cross websites.

1859-2009: 150 years since the birth of the idea of the Red Cross Red Crescent
One hundred and fifty years ago, a battle in northern Italy led to an idea, that has since gone on to change the world. In June 1859, Henry Dunant, a young Geneva businessman, witnessed horrifying suffering and agony at the battle of Solferino. In response, he mobilized the nearby village of Castiglione to care for the wounded, regardless of their nationality. Not satisfied to forget, Dunant returned home and proposed the idea of voluntary relief societies, which are now the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, present in 186 countries throughout the world.

Isn't this an inspirational beginning which today is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world.

An estimated 13,000 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers coming from all over the world participate in a 9 kilometer torch-lit procession in Solferino, Italy to to mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino and celebrate the birth of an idea that led to the founding of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. ©ICRC/M.Kokic/27 June 2009

Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers from all over the world join together at Plazza Castello in Solferino.
©ICRC/M.Kokic/27 June 2009

Five hundred youth from 149 countries at the third Red Cross Red Crescent world youth meeting Solferino in Italy this week are planning their next move for humanity. Under the theme “Youth on the Move”, workshops, cultural exchanges and meetings are taking place as part of the 150-year anniversary of the battle of Solferino. Stephen Ryan, communications officer for youth and volunteers at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said he hoped the youth meeting would inspire concrete actions in participants from every part of the world. “History won’t be made at this meeting. This is just the start of a long journey. History will be made when people return to their home countries.” Samantha Duncan from the Grenada Red Cross Society said the best part of the meeting was learning what works in other countries. “I’m here to learn more about the best practices of other National Societies so that I can take it back to my country to improve our society and make an improvement on our programmes. “I’m here to build capacity for my National Society, take new ideas and also take old, existing ones that work for other countries and see what we can do with them and adopt them in our country.” Aaron Turner, a youth search and rescue leader and emergency response team in the New Zealand Red Cross, said he was impressed with the role of youth in other countries. “New Zealand Red Cross youth is not quite matured yet. It’s still in its really early stages and a lot of National Societies, particularly African societies, have 80 per cent of their members youth classed as youth whereas in New Zealand it’s less than 5. “It’s just fantastic to see the energy and vitality these countries bring. And it’s a lot to learn from.” He said he would try to take home the spirit of enthusiasm and communication. “My next move is to take back the motivation and the vitality that’s here. It’s just insane. The opening ceremony was something I’d never experienced before and I completely underestimated it. It’s something we want to take back to New Zealand. “To start a Pacific forum or to increase communication would just be fantastic.” Hadhya Al Zawm, a volunteer co-ordinator in the Yemen Red Crescent Society, said she was inspired by the Red Cross Red Crescent’s global values of humanity, independence, neutrality, impartiality, voluntary action, universality and unity. “I am here to meet our other brothers and sisters in the Movement. It was my dream to be here and to participate with other youth. And not to see not only in Yemen but all over the world that we all believe in the same fundamental principles and we do the same volunteering work and the same activities.”

Thanks to Rosemary North, IFRC or her article and the ICRC for photographs.

The need for humanitarian action is no less today than it was in Dunant’s time. So from 28 June 2009, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff got her in Italy to remember the past, but also to look to the future. The world is changing, and so too are the challenges.

Simple gestures can make a difference - Make yours.

90 years old - The largest humanitarian orgamisation in the World.

With "I am happy helping my friends' written on their T shirts, these young Indonesian Red Cross volunteers live out the slogan.
Displacement, disease, increasing disasters, a lack of clean water, food shortages, rising violence, the separation of families, grinding poverty and escalating vulnerability are some of the frequent challenges faced by tens of millions of people worldwide affected by armed conflict, natural catastrophes, internal violence and climate change.
Too often, their suffering goes unnoticed and unchecked. In an effort to give the victims of war and disaster a stronger voice, and in an attempt to get people around the globe to sit up and take action, the world's largest humanitarian network – the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – is launched a global campaign called Our world. Your move. on 8 May.

"This campaign is about more than raising awareness, this is a call to action. It's about engaging people in the spirit of volunteerism and empowering everyone to make a difference in the world around us. Each and everyone of us must work in our communities so we are better prepared to cope with current and emerging crises. Together we can protect our future by taking action today," said Juan Manuel Suárez del Toro, the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was founded on 5 May, 1919, in Paris, France. Today, it is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 186 Member Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and nearly 100 million volunteers.

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the IFRC held special events in Paris, on 4 May. At a special reception held at the Elysée Palace, the “Paris Declaration” on the humanitarian challenges the world faces today, was presented presented. The document calls for a major shift towards a culture of prevention and preparedness, instead of just emergency response to disasters.

The campaign is symbolized by a globe in disarray. Each time someone takes action or takes an interest via the web portal http://www.ourworld-yourmove.org/ they are helping to restore order to a world in a mess. The site also allows users to share their experiences through blog contributions, videos and photos.

"Because of the global economic crisis, these are obviously hard times for a lot of people, but they're even harder for those who had very little to begin with. We have a collective responsibility to make our world a better place and we each have the individual power to 'make a move' to help others, whether it's spending time with an elderly neighbour or offering food and shelter to a family displaced by fighting," said Jakob Kellenberger, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

With I am happy helping my friends" emblazoned on his T shirt, Angunn Perman Sidiq joined in the celebrations in Jakarta on 8 May 2009.

The Our world. Your move. initiative coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino, in Italy, which led to the creation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, as well as the 90th anniversary of the IFRC and the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. Millions of campaign enthusiasts in more than 80 countries are expected to turn out to celebrate its launch on 8 May, which is also recognized as World Red Cross Red Crescent Day.

Co Chairman of Indonesian Red Cross Salahuddin Nyak Kaoy and Bob McKerrow sit with young children at World Red Cross Day celebrations at a children's home in Jakarta.
Young Indonesian Red Crioss volunteers practicing first aid.
Two Indonesian Red Cross volunteers with Our World Your Move written on their T Shirts in Bahasa Indonesian. Both boys are trained in first aid and are knowledgeable about Avian and Swine Flu.


On Friday 8 May the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) celebrated World Red Cross Day in an orphanage and home for destitute children in Jakarta.
There are 300 kindergartens and children's homes from the Kasih Ibu institution throughout Indonesia supported by the Indonesian Red Cross

As they are aware of the humanitarian challenges the world faces today, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI} believes that raising volunteerism from childhood is important.
The PMI has started to drive the global campaign, Our World. Your Move, by introducing humanitarian activities to the children as they are the best change agents thought their peers for making a better world.
Please go to this link http://pmi.or.id/ina/news/?act=detail&p_id=106 for more detail.
From 24 to 28 June, thousands of young people from more than 120 nations are due to take part in a world youth meeting and humanitarian village in the Italian village of Solferino, where they will commemorate the history of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and define their vision for tackling today's humanitarian challenges. The vision for improving the world, sorting out the mess, must come from the new generation of humanitarians.