INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT IS LAUNCHING A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN CALLED ‘OUR WORLD. YOUR MOVE’ ON 8 MAY
ArmInfo
2009-05-06 11:14:00
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is launching
a global campaign called "Our world. Your Move" on 8 May.
According to ICRC’s press release, 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 launching 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
Suarez del Toro, the president of the International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The campaign is symbolized by a globe in disarray. Each time
someone takes action or takes an interest via the web portal
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). 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.
In addition, the ICRC’s new exhibit, Our World – At War, featuring
images from five of the world’s leading war photographers, will open
in Geneva, New York and other major cities on 8 May. On the same day,
Humanity in War, a retrospective photo book and exhibit documenting
150 years of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in-action, will launch in
selected cities. 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.