Many of you know that i am a red cross voluntieer paramedic

Not much of you knows how much i love waht i do, and why i love red cross

to explain that i decide to talk you about the history of the movement, something that many ignores, i like it particulary because what happened was really near where i do live (Verona)

The idea of a man

The Red Cross idea was born in 1859, when Henry Dunant, a young Swiss man, came upon the scene of a bloody battle in Solferino, Italy, between the armies of imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian(Italy) alliance. Some 40,000 men lay dead or dying on the battlefield and the wounded were lacking medical attention.

Dunant was shocked by the view of those poor soldiers, being walked on by others and basically let to die in agony.

He organized local people to bind the soldiers' wounds and to feed and comfort them.

talking to a medic on a nerby hospital he was shocked even more

In one of the Cremona hospitals, an Italian doctor had said: "We keep the good things for our friends of the Allied Army, and give our enemies the

bare necessities. If they die, so much the worse!" and he added, to excuse these barbarous words, that he had heard from some Italian soldiers whohad returned from Verona and Mantua, that the Austrians allowed the wounded of the Franco-Sardinian army to die uncared for.

but soon

A noble lady of Cremona, who had heard the doctor's words and had been devoting herself to the hospitals with the utmost zeal, made haste to show herdisapproval by declaring that she gave exactly the same attention to the Austrians as to the Allies, and made no difference between friends andenemies. For, she said, "Our Lord Jesus Christ made no such distinctions between men in well doing."

On his return in his country, he called for the creation of national relief societies to assist those wounded in war, and pointed the way to the future Geneva Conventions.

"Would there not be some means, during a period of peace and calm, of forming relief societies whose object would be to have the wounded cared for in time of war by enthusiastic, devoted volunteers, fully qualified for the task?"

The Red Cross was born in 1863 when five Geneva men, including Dunant, set up the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded, later to become the International Committee of the Red Cross. Its emblem was a red cross on a white background: the inverse of the Swiss flag. The following year, 12 governments adopted the first Geneva Convention; a milestone in the history of humanity, offering care for the wounded, and defining medical services as "neutral" on the battlefield.

The red cross movement now

To inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies, with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering, and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.

This is what lead us, in our every day work, the red cross doesn't only help medically persons, but it work worldwide with this objective in its mind, and when you apply this to your every day life.. you realzie how much it is awesome and important

The 7 principles

what we do is "ruled" by this 7 principles

Humanity

The International Red Cross Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

Impartiality

It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality

In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence

The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.

Voluntary service

It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

Unity

There can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

Universality

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.

Voluntieering there, driving my ambulance, is awesome, really.. but after all it is still a paramedic job (don't get me wrokng, it is the best job in the world!)

but what makes it different.. is when i voluntieer there.. out of my ambulance.. when we went on heartquakes trying to give relief to the poor childrens that lost everything, during flows, digging in the mud to seek for an hope, meeting other voluntieers in the world, sharing our experience and entusiasm.. being in the military red cross.. and giving food and shelter to who had nothing... those are the thing that made me proud of being there, all of the other voluntieers for me are like a family, and i wouldn't lieave this family for all the gold of the world