World Red Cross Day

Today is World Red Cross Day, a day to remember the efforts of both the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the globe. Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are the world's largest humanitarian network working in more than 170 countries. World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day began after World War I in 1922 when the Red Cross National Society in the Czech Republic proclaimed a three-day truce at Easter to promote peace. The idea behind the truce was to recognize one day every year during which the Red Cross would advocate for the relief of human suffering from disease and the humanity of seeing a world free from suffering due to war. May 8, the anniversary of the birth of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross, was chosen to be that day and was called World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.