The history of the creation of the Russian Red Cross Society. Creation and development of the Russian Red Cross Society
Introduction
History of the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross
League of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
Basic principles of the International Red Cross
Russian Red Cross Society
List of references
Introduction
The relevance of the topic of this essay lies in the fact that the International Red Cross movement, whose main goal is to prevent and alleviate human suffering, unites independent organizations: League of Red Cross Societies (LORC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and national societies LOCK. The highest body of the International Committee of the Red Cross is the Assembly. It forms the ICRC's policies, determines the main objectives and strategic plans, adopts the budget and financial reports, and monitors the activities of the ICRC. The collegial decision-making body is the Assembly Council. He ensures the daily functioning of the Assembly and develops the main directions of the Committee's activities. The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross also heads the Assembly and the Council of the Assembly of the Committee. The executive body of the Committee is the Directorate. She is responsible for the implementation and provision of tasks set by the Assembly and the Council of the Assembly common tasks and implementation of the organization's strategy. The highest deliberative body of the ICRC is an international conference, held every four years since 1867. The International Committee of the Red Cross, representatives of national Red Cross organizations, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and delegations of countries that have signed the main Geneva Conventions take part in its work.
The Red Cross Movement has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize three times (1917, 1945, 1963).
The purpose of our essay:
Reveal the history of the creation of the International Red Cross
Consider the creation and activities of the League of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
1. History of the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Idea international cooperation countries to provide assistance to sick and wounded soldiers was first organized in 1862 after the publication of Henri Dunant’s book “Memoirs of Solferino”
During the Franco-Italian-Austrian War, the Swiss journalist Henri Dunant, driven by the desire to interview the French Emperor Napoleon III, who was constantly at the location of his troops, arrived at the theater of operations in Lombardy. It was the day of the bloody Battle of Solferino - June 24, 1859. Tens of thousands of dead and wounded lay on the battlefield under the scorching sun, deprived of water and any kind of medical care. Their terrible suffering shocked A. Dunant, and he (not being a doctor) immediately began organizing first aid for the wounded. His first medical center was organized in a nearby church, where the French, Italians, and Germans lay together. At first, Dunant was helped by four French doctors, one German and two Italian students, then he attracted local women and tourists - English, French, Italians. For several weeks they worked tirelessly.
Returning to Geneva, the shocked Dunant considered it his duty to tell the world about what he had seen and experienced. This is how his book was born, in which he called for the creation in every country of societies to help victims of war and to provide assistance to military medical services. In 1862, he sent his book to all the reigning monarchs and ministers of war and received from many of them warm support. Thoughts about organizing international private voluntary assistance to war victims, without distinction of their ranks and nationalities, arose from A. Dunant under the influence of the activities of the English nurse Florence Nightingale and her compatriots, who, since November 1854, had been caring for sick and wounded soldiers in Turkey. town of Scutari during Crimean War, also N.I. Pirogov and the sisters of mercy of the Cross Movement community led by him, who began their noble activities in December 1854 in the location Russian troops in the Sevastopol.
In 1863, the Geneva Society for People's Benefit, interested in A. Dunant's proposals, created the Permanent International Committee for Relief of the Wounded, which included five Swiss citizens, including A. Dunant. On the initiative of this Committee, in October 1863, a meeting of unofficial delegates from 16 countries (including doctors) was organized, who approved the directions of the Committee’s activities and adopted the negative of the Swiss flag - a red cross on a white background - as the emblem of the movement,” its image should was to serve as a sign of protection for people providing assistance to the wounded (Fig. 249).(Later, in 1876, Turkey, following the traditions of Islam, adopted the red crescent as its national emblem of this movement.)
Already in February 1864, the Red Cross emblem was used as a sign of protection during the war between Prussia and Denmark.
Russia was among the first states to support the Convention, and subsequently took an active part in the development of international humanitarian law. On the initiative of Russia, in October 1868, a meeting was convened in St. Petersburg international Conference, which adopted a Declaration prohibiting the use of explosive bullets in the army. At the suggestion of Russia, conferences were convened in Brussels (1874) and The Hague (1899), at which the Convention on the Laws and Customs of War on Land was developed and decisions were made on the application of the provisions of the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the Protection of the Wounded in naval war. The Project, presented by Russia at the Brussels Conference in 1874, proposed to prohibit the use of weapons, projectiles and substances that cause particularly severe suffering to the wounded.
In 1876, the Permanent International Committee for Relief of the Wounded in Geneva (the Committee of Five) was renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Proposals for the development of the Red Cross movement began to be discussed at the International Conferences of the Red Cross, in which the ICRC, national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and representatives of states party to the Geneva Convention took part. The first of these conferences took place in Paris (1869), subsequent ones in Berlin (1869), Geneva (1884), Karlsruhe (1887), Rome (1892), Vienna (1897), St. -Petersburg (1902), London (1907), etc.
However, while developing international humanitarian law, humanity in those years had not yet questioned the legality of waging war; only the desire to “humanize” it, to reduce the suffering that war brings to people was asserted.
red cross committee international
2. League of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
In 1919 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies united into an international federation - the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCR). Its goal is to promote the development of national Societies - members of the federation, to coordinate their activities on international level and promote the creation of new national Societies.
The Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of our country became a member of the LOKK and KP in 1934 and since then has been actively involved in the activities of the League and the bodies created by it.
Currently, LOKK and KP unites more than 180 national Societies.
The main goal of the LOCC and CoP, enshrined in its Charter, is to inspire, support, develop the humanitarian activities of national Societies with the aim of preventing and alleviating human suffering and, thus, contributing to the maintenance and strengthening of peace throughout the world.
The activities of the International Organizations of the Red Cross - the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are complementary, both have headquarters in Geneva and are united under the concept of the International Red Cross.
The highest governing body of the International Red Cross is the International Conference of the Red Cross, which meets once every four years. The conference is attended by representatives of governments party to the Geneva Conventions, recognized national Societies, ICRC, LORC and KP.
All national and international Red Cross organizations are non-governmental in nature.
3. Basic principles of the International Red Cross
Red Cross societies have existed for over 130 years. Most people associate them with humane assistance to those in trouble - victims of armed conflicts, natural disasters, epidemics, etc.
The main purpose of the International Red Cross is to: contribute to the prevention and relief of human suffering, the protection of human life, health and dignity, especially during natural disasters, armed conflicts and other emergency situations; to promote the improvement of social well-being, the voluntary unification of individual and public efforts to provide compassionate, charitable and other humane assistance to everyone who needs it.
In achieving this goal, certain principles should be followed.
Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross.Proclaimed: .Russian Red Cross Society
It is impossible not to mention the Russian Red Cross Society; famous figures of Russian medicine took an active part in the creation of the Russian Red Cross Society (1879): N.I. Pirogov, S.P. Botkin and others. In 1870, 30 Russian doctors provided assistance to the wounded of both sides in the combat area of the Franco-Prussian War. During Russo-Japanese War In addition to providing assistance to victims on the battlefield, ten specialized units were formed to combat infectious diseases, baths and laundries were opened, and treatment for the mentally ill was organized for the first time. During the First World War, the Russian Red Cross Society: also took an active part. By the end of 1914, 100 thousand people were working. in hospitals and other Red Cross institutions. It should be noted that in the early days of the Red Cross’s existence, the main efforts were focused on providing assistance to the wounded only in war time, but the population needs help in peacetime in case of emergency situations, in Everyday life. Thus, the Russian Red Cross collected a huge amount of donations during the famine of 1891 - 1892, which affected 22 provinces. At the same time, the Red Cross took part in the fight against epidemics of typhus, cholera, diphtheria and leprosy in the southern provinces, and provided assistance to victims of the earthquake in the Caucasus. The pre-revolutionary Society of the Russian Red Cross was one of the largest and most active in Europe: by 1917, its staff included 2.5 thousand doctors, 20 thousand nurses, 50 thousand orderlies, 685 thousand beds were deployed at the fronts, 492 thousand beds are in the rear. The Red Cross movement developed in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. In 1923, after the signing of the Declaration on the Unification of the Republics, the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the USSR was formed. After the end of the Civil War, the activities of this Union were aimed at restoring medical institutions, to eliminate outbreaks of infectious diseases, and train nursing personnel. In 1933, with the participation of this Union, an air ambulance service was organized, which played a significant role important role in the development of emergency medical care for the population in hard-to-reach areas. New medical and preventive institutions were created for children and adults: “red yurts” in the regions Far North, ambulance trains and outpatient clinics, hospitals, dispensaries and sanatoriums, pioneer camps (including the famous Artek), first aid stations on collective farms and factories. Since 1937, the formation of donor personnel began. The difficult foreign policy situation required mass military-sanitary training: the number of first aid clubs increased, special training programs “Ready for sanitary defense” (GSD) were developed for adults and for high school students, “Be ready for sanitary defense” (BGSD) for students 5-6 grade schools. The course included training in first aid techniques for injuries and poisoning, gaining skills in caring for the sick and wounded, transporting victims, and studying the issues of preventing infectious diseases. The role of the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies became especially obvious during the Great Patriotic War, when the Society organized the training of sanitary and nursing personnel, education of the population, assistance to the wounded in hospitals, donation, assistance to evacuees and refugees, and the fight against epidemics. In accelerated training courses lasting 5.5 months. Thousands of nurses were trained. Millions of volunteers, trained under the GSO and BGSO programs, cared for the wounded in hospitals. Voluntary donors saved the lives of thousands of wounded people. In 1944, the badge “Honorary Donor of the USSR” was approved. Prepared within 2.5 months. The sanitary attendants provided first aid to the wounded and carried them out of the battlefield. Representatives of the Red Cross were sent to the territory liberated from the enemy, ensuring the delivery of clothing and food for the population. Anti-epidemic teams were organized, which examined and disinfected homes, built baths and wells, and monitored the quality of drinking water. After the end of the war, patronage commissions were created under the ROKK committees, which took under their care boarding schools for the disabled and orphanages, providing assistance to thousands of disabled people and orphans. The Red Cross also took an active part in the mass social movement to improve settlements, prevent diseases, and improve the level of sanitary culture. ROKK actively worked together with the Institute of Health Education of the USSR Ministry of Health to publish posters and tables on disease prevention. In response to the increased need of society for medical and social assistance to the disabled and incapacitated, the Red Cross creates the Patronage Service of Sisters of Charity, renamed in 1988 the ROKK Charity Service. Currently, the Society is going through difficult times: the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has collapsed, funding for the RCSC has become difficult, the number of its staff has decreased, and a lot of new problems have appeared. These problems, as a rule, are difficult to resolve: armed conflicts, an increase in the number of refugees and migrants, an aging population, an increase in the number of disabled people, street children, a decrease in living standards, etc. The epidemic situation has worsened: the incidence of tuberculosis, diphtheria, and HIV infection is growing. The number of drug addicts and alcoholics is growing. Cases of accidents and disasters have become more frequent. In 1990, the ROKK created its own Rescue Service under the Central Committee of the ROKK and the regional committees of the ROKK. Rescue service teams provide first aid medical care in “hot spots”, in emergency situations. Of great importance is the activity of the ROKK Search and Information Center, which in recent years has received hundreds of thousands of applications from Russian and foreign citizens with a request to search for relatives who disappeared during hostilities, interethnic conflicts and natural disasters. Since 1994, the ROKK has been paying compensation to former concentration camp prisoners from funds allocated by the German government. In areas susceptible to radioactive contamination as a result of an accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant, ROKK organized mobile dosimetry laboratories that examined tens of thousands of victims. The most important activity of the RCCS is the provision of medical and social assistance to vulnerable segments of the population. Providing everyday medical and social care at home to single elderly citizens is still the main focus of the ROKK's activities. In addition to this type of service, the creation of medical and social care centers is becoming increasingly important, in which older people, while maintaining their usual lifestyle, can undergo simple medical procedures, receive advice from a doctor, lawyer, social work specialist, and rent patient care items for free. In some areas, wards (departments) are organized on the basis of city and regional hospitals where the elderly and disabled undergo rehabilitation. Another aspect of the ROCC's activities is assistance to refugees and forced migrants (in 1992, the Central Committee of the ROCC developed and approved the Program for Assistance to Refugees and Forced Migrants). Support is provided in the form of delivery of clothing, shoes, food, etc. ROKK pays great attention to health education of the population. For this purpose, ROKK educational and methodological centers have been organized to teach the basics of caring for patients at home and providing first aid. ROKK took an active part in the development of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Donation of Blood and Its Components,” which came into force on September 1, 1993. Currently, ROKK pays significant attention to the development of gratuitous donation. Unfortunately, it should be noted that at present the interaction between RCCS institutions and social protection authorities is not sufficiently coordinated. Conclusion
Today, the International Committee of the Red Cross is an independent and neutral body. It consists exclusively of Swiss citizens. Its budget is made up of voluntary contributions from international organizations, governments and national Red Cross Societies. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War, the ICRC can act as a neutral mediator in armed conflicts, providing assistance to the wounded, sick, prisoners of war and civilians. The ICRC has the right to recognize newly created National Societies. The International Red Cross condemns the use of atomic energy for military purposes, means of mass destruction, racism and racial discrimination- sources of international tension that create the threat of war, calls for every possible contribution to the achievement of general disarmament, to eliminate war from the lives of peoples. List of used literature
1.Ageevtseva V.U. History of social work: Textbook. manual - St. Petersburg, 2005. 2.Orlova. R.M. Short course social work: Proc. manual - St. Petersburg, 1995. .Pereverzin I.I. Social work. - M. 2004 .Popov A.N. History of medicine: Textbook. allowance. -Chelyabinsk, 1999. .Terekhov A.N. History of social work: Textbook / Ed. ed. Matveeva L.P. Novikova A.D. - Ed. 2nd revision and additional - M.: Mysl2006. - 304s. .Tkachev E.V. History of Medicine: Textbook / Ed. B.M. Shiyana - M. Education, 2004. - 245s. .Uvarov A.G. History of medicine: Textbook. allowance / Ed. Filina V.P. - M.: Knowledge, 2003. - 128s. .Filipchenko D.E History of social work: Proc. allowance / Ed. B.I. Zagoredsky, Yu.P. Bubble. - 2nd ed. reworked and additional - M.: Higher School, 1989. - 383 p. 10.Tsaplin N.N. History of medicine. - M. 2003
Governments in their humanitarian activities and respecting the laws of their countries must always maintain autonomy in order to be able to act in accordance with fundamental principles);
assistance activities are in no way driven by the desire for material gain); unity(each country can have only one national Red Cross or Red Crescent society. It must be open to all citizens and carry out its humanitarian activities throughout the country);
Russia joined the Geneva Convention in 1867, and at the same time, on May 15, 1867, Emperor Alexander II approved the Charter of the Society for the Care of Wounded and Sick Soldiers (in 1876 it was renamed the Russian Red Cross Society). By this time, Russia had accumulated extensive experience in providing assistance to war victims. Russia was one of the first countries in the world where the Red Cross Society was created.
From the first years of its existence, ROKK developed its activities both within the country and abroad. The society's units worked on the battlefields during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), the war of Montenegro and Serbia with Turkey (1976), the Serbo-Bulgarian (1885), the Greek-Turkish (1897) and other wars and conflicts.
The Russian Red Cross Society set itself broader goals than societies in other countries. The ROKK Charter, adopted in 1893, in addition to helping the wounded on the battlefields during the war, also provided for assistance to war invalids and the population affected by natural disasters.
In the First World War (1914-1918), 38 states were involved, the number of active armies exceeded 29 million people, and more than 20 million people died. At this time, the ROKK prepared and sent 10 thousand nurses to the medical institutions of the military department, formed 150 food centers, more than 20 sanitary courts, equipped 360 sanitary trains, and 65 anti-epidemic detachments worked in areas where the wounded were concentrated. During the First World War, chemical weapons were used for the first time on the battlefields of Europe; Asphyxiating gases brought severe suffering to the soldiers. ROKK organized enterprises in Moscow and Petrograd for the production of special protective bandages and organized their delivery to the front.
On November 20, 1918, a general meeting of members of the Russian Red Cross Society was held in Moscow, where the Charter was adopted and the Central Committee was elected. The humane traditions and valuable experience of the ROKK were adopted by the Soviet Red Cross and were widely developed in its activities.
The October Revolution and the subsequent Civil War brought severe trials to the peoples of Russia. During this period, the main focus of the activities of the Soviet Red Cross was assistance in the fight against epidemic diseases and hunger. 439 sanitary institutions were formed and sent to the fronts, including sanitary-epidemiological detachments, nutrition centers, and hospitals.
The resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, signed by V.I. Lenin on May 30, 1918, brought to the attention of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the governments of all states that recognized the Geneva Convention that “this convention, both in its original and in all later editions, and also all others international conventions and the agreements relating to the Red Cross recognized by Russia before October 1917 are recognized and will be respected by the Soviet Government, which retains all rights and prerogatives based on these conventions and agreements."
The humane attitude of the Soviet Red Cross towards prisoners of war and refugees and its activities to alleviate the suffering of the population received recognition from the international community and on October 15, 1921, the International Red Cross officially recognized the Soviet Red Cross.
In 1921, a severe drought affected the regions of the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, and southern Ukraine. The activities of the Red Cross Society during this period developed in two directions: medical and food assistance to the population and work to collect donations within the country and abroad. During this period, 17 medical and food teams were created, equipped and sent to disaster areas using the funds raised. When a wave of epidemic diseases began, the Soviet Red Cross formed and sent three specialized sanitary-epidemic teams to disaster areas, which not only cleaned and examined the area, but also built baths and disinfected premises.
The Soviet Red Cross carried on intensive negotiations with Mr. F. Nansen, the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations and called for assistance to the starving people of Russia. In the same year, the Red Cross Societies of Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, the USA and other countries responded to this call. As a result, the Nansen Committee ensured that 5 million poods of food were sent to Russia.
Everyone's help foreign countries for the period from 1921 to 1922 amounted to more than 512 million tons of food, which made it possible to provide food for about 11 million hungry people.
In 1923, representatives of the Red Cross Societies of the RSFSR, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia and the Azerbaijan Red Crescent concluded an agreement on the formation of the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (SOKK and CP USSR).
During this period, through the efforts of SOKK and KP activists, medical and obstetric centers were opened, primarily in remote and backward areas of the Far North, Siberia and Central Asia.
During the same period, the Soviet Red Cross, at its own expense, organized a health service young pioneers, a network of children's preventive outpatient clinics, camps, sanatoriums, playgrounds, and nurseries has been created. In 1925, the Artek pioneer camp was opened with funds from the Central Committee of the OKC of the RSFSR. SOKK and Communist Party of the USSR initiated the creation of air ambulance, which contributed to the timely treatment of thousands of patients.
In the pre-war years of the 1930s, the SOKK and Communist Party of the USSR organized mass training of the population in first aid techniques, caring for the sick at home, sanitary posts and squads were formed. In 1926-1927 for support state system health care, local organizations SOKK and KP created courses for nurses.
In a climate of international tension, the Soviet Red Cross began mass preparation of the population for the sanitary defense of the country. In 1934, training began for the adult population under the “Ready for Sanitary Defense” (GSO) program and for schoolchildren “Be Prepared for Sanitary Defense”
In 1934, ROKK as part of SOKK and KP was accepted into International League Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The activities of SOKK and KP in the field of mass medical and sanitary training of the population and treatment and preventive work have made a significant contribution to the preparedness of the population for severe trials that befell Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War.
During the war years, assistance to the sick and wounded reached an unprecedented scale. Organizations of the Soviet Red Cross trained 23 million people under the GSO program.
Helping the wounded on the battlefields, working in hospitals, loading and unloading ambulances, organizing donations and more - this is the scope and nature of the work carried out by activists of the SOKK and KP societies to help the military sanitary service of the Red Army and civilian health authorities.
A nurse is a girl in a soldier’s overcoat who took up the baton of sisters of mercy during the Crimean War, World War I, Civil and other wars. For their dedicated work, the International Committee of the Red Cross awarded the Florence Nightingale medal to 46 Soviet women.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Red Cross actively participated in organizing the donor movement. 5.5 million people were involved in this movement, among them 90% were women, and over two million liters of donor blood were sent to the front. In 1944, the Executive Committee of the SOKK and KP formed 30 sanitary-epidemiological detachments that operated in the liberated regions of Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova.
Great Patriotic War- one of the most striking pages in the history of the Soviet Red Cross, which contributed to the common cause of victory over German Nazism.
In the post-war period, the Soviet Red Cross, true to its duty, came to the aid of the peoples of foreign countries in the elimination of dangerous infectious diseases, the organization of medical institutions and the development of national healthcare. Our doctors worked in Poland, China, and North Korea to eliminate epidemics of plague, typhoid, and smallpox. Soviet Red Cross hospitals were opened in Iran, Ethiopia, and North Korea, in which our specialists provided medical care to the local population.
As a token of gratitude for their great contribution to the cause of peace and humanitarianism, the International Red Cross, in February 1963, on the occasion of the centenary of its founding, along with other societies, awarded the SOKK and KP the Vermeil medal. The medal is made of gold and silver, on the front side there is an image of a volunteer orderly, as a symbol of the origin of the Red Cross movement. The inscription on the medal is “International Red Cross, Geneva” and in Latin “Charity on the battlefield”.
Following the principles of humanism and mercy, the Soviet Red Cross provided free assistance to the peoples of foreign countries in the fight against epidemics, diseases, hunger, and the consequences of natural disasters and armed conflicts. For the period from 1981 to 1986 SOKK and KP provided various help 71 countries of the world.
Drought, cyclones, earthquakes, floods, typhoons caused enormous damage to the population of countries such as Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and others. Emergency aid was sent to these countries - tents, blankets, stretchers, medicines, medical instruments, dressings, food.
In 1987, an acute food shortage arose in India due to a bad harvest. Famine began in the country, and epidemics of infectious diseases broke out. Aid to the population of India from the Soviet Red Cross became one of the largest humanitarian actions in the 80s.
To assist in the prevention of infectious diseases, the Soviet Red Cross sent large quantities of vaccines against polio, smallpox and cholera to backward third world countries free of charge. Mobile medical units of the Soviet Red Cross successfully worked in Peru, Jordan, Bangladesh, Algeria, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1980-1981, two medical units of the SOKK and KP worked in Cambodia.
In the 90s, the Russian Red Cross Society faced new challenges to solve problems that had not previously occurred in our country. Rapid socio-economic and political transformations led to the appearance on the map former USSR new independent states.
Interethnic and civil conflicts broke out, which led to the emergence of hundreds of thousands of refugees and millions of internally displaced persons. The socio-economic crisis has left below the poverty line not only such vulnerable categories as pensioners, large families, disabled people, children from disadvantaged families, but also a large number of working population.
On July 20, 1996, a Presidential Decree was issued Russian Federation"ABOUT state support Russian Red Cross Society, and on December 27 of the same year a Resolution was adopted State Duma RF "On state support of the Russian Red Cross Society"
The history of the International Red Cross began on June 24, 1859 in Solferino, a village in northern Italy, where French and Italian troops fought the then occupying Austrians. In this fierce battle, 40,000 casualties - killed and wounded - fell within a few hours.
The sanitary services of the warring parties were clearly powerless to help in the current situation. The sight of the severe suffering of the wounded horrified the Swiss Henri Dunant, who came to those places on business. Having appealed to the residents of neighboring villages, he began to provide assistance to all wounded soldiers, regardless of nationality. Returning to Switzerland, Henri Dunant could not erase this horrific picture from his memory. He took up his pen to tell the world about this drama of war, repeated so many times. In 1862, his book “Memories of Solferino” was completed. As soon as the book, printed with his own money, came out of print, Dunant sent it to the European monarchs of the time, politicians, military, philanthropists, friends. The success was immediate and exceeded all expectations. The book greatly alarmed Europe, as many were unaware of the brutal reality of the battlefields.
At that time, there was a Charitable Society in Geneva, whose president was the lawyer Gustav Moynier. “The book Memoirs of Solferino shocked me,” he wrote. Being a man of action, Moynier invited Dunant to talk about this book with other members of the Society.
During the meeting, a commission of five members was created. In addition to Henri Dunant himself and Gustav Moynier, it included General Guillaume-Henri Dufour and doctors Louis Appiah and Theodore Maunir - all Swiss citizens. The commission met for the first time on February 17, 1863 and called itself the "International Committee for the Relief of the Wounded."
In the following months, these five members of the Committee carried out intense activity, as a result of which an international conference was held in Geneva in October 1863, in which representatives of sixteen states took part. For this occasion, a distinctive sign was chosen - a red cross on a white background.
The sign was intended to highlight, and therefore protect, those who provide assistance to wounded soldiers. This conference formed the basis for the establishment of the Red Cross. As for the Committee, it will subsequently be renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The great merit of Henri Dunant is that he did not limit himself to the individual and spontaneous humanitarian gestures of his predecessors, but put forward new and specific proposals and spread them widely:
"Is it not possible to create in all European countries relief societies which, in wartime, on a voluntary basis, would provide care for the wounded, regardless of nationality?
This proposal would form the basis for the creation of national Red Cross societies and, later, Red Crescent Societies.
In addition to protecting the wounded, according to Henry Dunant, it was necessary to provide the status of neutrality in the battle area to those caring for them. Therefore, he proposed to formulate: “... international principle, conditional and legalized, which, if agreed upon and ratified, would form the basis of societies for the relief of the wounded in different countries ... "
This second sentence of Dunant marked the beginning of modern humanities international law, the first written and concrete embodiment of which was the Geneva Convention of 1864.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the founding agency of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes: the ICRC, International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Representatives of these three components of the movement, together with representatives of the states party to the Geneva Conventions, meet every four years at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The main role of this conference, as the highest advisory body of the Movement, is to study problems of a general nature, adopt resolutions, and distribute mandates.
At all times, people have fought with each other: alas, sacrifices, suffering and destruction have accompanied humanity throughout its history. Epidemics, natural and man-made disasters brought countless disasters. However, there were always and everywhere people who came to the aid of the suffering and cared for the wounded. But only in the 19th century was a special organization created, the purpose of which was to provide assistance to the victims. How was the Red Cross created? Where did this symbol come from? What is the history of the Red Cross in Russia? Our material is about this.
The generally accepted date of the founding of the Russian Red Cross is 1854, when Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna founded the Holy Cross community of sisters of mercy in St. Petersburg. During the defense of Sevastopol, it was led by the outstanding Russian surgeon Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov. In one of his works, he wrote that “invaluable services in hospitals and in transports were provided by the sisters of the Cross Movement community near Sevastopol...” In 1854-1856. this community consisted of 202 people, almost all of them took part in the Crimean War, 17 of them died.
But the practice of effective compassion, physical and spiritual help as a godly and humane principle was born in Russia even earlier. Help for those injured in battles during Napoleon's invasion in 1812, as well as the care of heroes after the war, acquired a national scale. Already in 1814, Alexander I established the Committee for Assistance to the Wounded. On May 3, 1867 (old style), Emperor Alexander II approved the charter of the Society for the Care of Wounded and Sick Soldiers, which in 1879 was renamed the Russian Red Cross Society (ROSC). The Emperor, all the Grand Dukes and Princesses, many dignitaries and representatives of the higher clergy.
By 1904, the Red Cross had become, in essence, the all-Russian coordinator of all public and private assistance. Zemstvo, city unions and other public organizations worked closely with the ROKK, where all information from the theater of war about the needs of the army was concentrated.
It should be noted that the Russian Red Cross set itself broader goals than societies in other countries. Since 1872, he began to provide assistance to the population affected by natural disasters.
Famine 1891-1892 became a national tragedy. ROKK collected 5 million rubles in donations. These funds were used to create 2,763 canteens for 213,546 people, 40 shelters and shelters for 1,283 people, and about 4 million meals were given out. Famine caused the spread of epidemics. Therefore, the ROKK sent mobile sanitary units, which included 710 nurses, to the most contaminated areas. Many people were saved by the teahouses and canteens that ROKK opened during cholera and other epidemics for poor people.
The volume of work of the Red Cross is evidenced by the numbers: during the First World War, 1,885 doctors, 15,325 nurses, 250 paramedics and 35,852 orderlies worked in the institutions of the Red Cross.
During the First World War, the Germans used military gases for the first time. The society promptly organized workshops in Moscow and Petrograd for the production of protective equipment and soon sent about 10 million gas masks and about 6 million filtered gas masks to the front.
The Civil War became a serious test for the strength of the ROKK. Despite the fact that the company’s property was requisitioned and much was destroyed, the ROKK was able to send its formations to various fronts in a fairly short time. As of November 1, 1918, 288 Red Cross institutions operated, 470 doctors and 1,125 nurses worked in them. In the first half of 1919 there were already 325 medical institutions, and in 1920 - 439.
The second main area of ROCC activity during the years of the Civil War was the fight against epidemics (cholera, typhus and relapsing fever) and the consequences of famine. From railway stations, typhus spread from sick refugees and Red Army soldiers to settlements. In 1920, 63 epidemic and 14 disinfection teams of the Red Cross operated. Through their efforts, the epidemic was stopped. The ROKK detachments, in addition to their main duties, built baths, kitchens, and obtained food.
The First World War and the Civil War ended. In 1921, famine and drought engulfed a vast territory of Russia. Under these conditions, the authorities turned to the ROCC for assistance. By a resolution of August 22, 1921, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee instructed the Red Cross to organize medical and nutritional units, help the hungry in disaster areas, and also conduct fundraising campaigns abroad. By the fall of 1922, 17 medical and nutritional units of the ROKK fed 130 thousand people daily, which required 300 thousand pounds of food and over 2 thousand pounds of medicine.
One of the brightest pages in the history of the society was its activities during the Great Patriotic War. The society continued to train nurses and nurses, medical instructors and orderlies for the country. In total, during the war years, 263,669 nurses, 457,286 combatants and medical instructors, 39,956 orderlies were trained for the local air defense 5,247 sanitary squads and 210 thousand sanitary posts were formed. The students of the society, showing miracles of courage and heroism on the battlefield, saved the lives of the defenders of the homeland. 18 Red Cross students were awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union, one of them became a full holder of the Order of Glory. Much attention was paid to involving the population in the ranks of donors. 700 thousand liters of donor blood were sent to the front. During the Great Patriotic War, of all those who died from wounds, only 1% were those who died from blood loss (during the First World War, 65% of the wounded died for this reason).
In 1944, the Red Cross formed 30 sanitary-epidemiological teams to identify and hospitalize patients, carry out vaccinations and carry out sanitary education work, which worked in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova.
International Red Cross.
At the origins of creation.
The idea of creating an international organization of the Red Cross and its national committees, which “during war, would provide or organize assistance and care for the wounded,” belongs to the Swiss businessman Henri Dunant. During the Austro-Italian-French War on June 24, 1859, near the village of Solferino, he witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century. At the same time, in the town of Castillon, he tried to organize assistance to the wounded of the enemy army by local residents. He outlined his impressions of what he saw and his proposals for helping the soldiers injured in the battle in 1862 in the book “Memoirs of the Battle of Solferino.” It was sent to European governments. And on February 17, 1863, the “Committee of Five” was already created, which included famous Swiss citizens, headed by Henri Dunant himself. This date is now celebrated as the birthday of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
And already on October 26, 1863, in Geneva, the committee convened an International Conference, which was attended by 18 representatives from 14 states. A distinctive sign was approved for medical personnel helping the wounded: it became a red cross on white as a sign of respect for the flag of Switzerland. From now on, medical personnel, transport and institutions were recognized as neutral. It was from this moment that Red Cross societies began to be created in different countries.
On August 22, 1864, participants in another conference in Geneva adopted the first Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded and Sick Soldiers during Land Wars. This document marked the beginning of the formation of a new branch of law - international humanitarian law.
The Russian Empire joined the first Geneva Convention on May 10, 1867. Over time, the Russian Red Cross Society became one of the most powerful in the world.
In 1964, at its session, the Union of Red Cross Societies raised the issue of outlawing atomic war through the conclusion of an International Convention.
St. Petersburg State University
Faculty of Medicine
Abstract for the course "History of Medicine" on the topic:
"Russian Red Cross"
1st year student 103 gr. R. A. Tikhomirov
Introduction
1. History
2. History of the Russian Red Cross
3. Fundamental principles
4. Emblem
How did the red crescent appear?
Emblem as a symbol of protection
The emblem as a symbol of belonging to the movement
5. Russian Red Cross
6. St. Petersburg branch
List of used literature
IntroductionOne of the leading organizations in the world to provide assistance to victims of war, providing assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, assistance to the elderly and people with disabilities is the Red Cross Movement. Many have heard or know about the existence of this movement, but do not have a complete understanding of its activities. In my essay I would like to reveal the history of the origin, emblem and main provisions of the work and activities of this organization.
So, I myself have more than once taken part in various Red Cross programs and therefore this topic is quite relevant for me. For example, I participated in the 3rd Open Championship of the Russian Red Cross in First Aid in 2009.
1. HistoryIt all started on June 24, 1859, near the Italian town of Solferino (a village in northern Italy), where French and Italian troops fought the Austrians who were then occupying the country. In this fierce battle, 40,000 casualties - killed and wounded - fell within a few hours.
Fig. 4 “Battle of Solferino”
The sanitary services of the warring parties were clearly powerless to help in the current situation. The sight of the severe suffering of the wounded horrified the Swiss Henri Dunant, who came to those places on business. Having appealed to the residents of neighboring villages, he (not being a doctor) began to provide assistance to all wounded soldiers, regardless of nationality. At first, Dunant was helped by four French doctors, one German and two Italian students, then local women and tourists - English, French and Italians - joined. They worked tirelessly for several weeks.
Fig.5 Henri Dunant (1828-1910) - a great humanist and “ideologist” of the World Red Cross Movement. Author of the book "Memories of the Battle of Solferino" Winner of the first Nobel Peace Prize (1901).
Returning to Geneva, Switzerland, Henri Dunant could not erase this horrific picture from his memory. He took up the pen to tell the world about this war drama, repeated so many times. In 1862, his book “Memories of Solferino” was completed. So in his book, he called for the creation in every country of societies to help victims of war and to provide assistance to the military medical service. Thoughts about organizing international private voluntary assistance to war victims, without distinction of their ranks and nationalities, arose in Dunant under the influence of the activities of the English nurse Florence Nightingale and her compatriots, who, since November 1854, were caring for sick and wounded soldiers in the Turkish city of Skaturi, which amazed him. during the Crimean War, also N.I. Pirogov and the sisters of mercy of the Cross Movement community led by him, who began their noble activities in December 1854 at the location of Russian troops in Sevastopol. As soon as the book, printed with his own money, came out of print, Dunant sent it to European monarchs of the time, politicians, military men, philanthropists, and friends. The success was immediate and exceeded all expectations. The book greatly alarmed Europe, as many were unaware of the brutal reality of the battlefields.
At that time, there was a charitable society in Geneva, whose president was the lawyer Gustav Moynier. The book “Memories of Solferino” shocked me, he wrote. Being a man of action, Moynier invited Dunant to talk about this book with other members of the Society.
During the meeting, a commission of five members was created. In addition to Henri Dunant himself and Gustav Moynier, it included General Guillaume-Henri Dufour and doctors Louis Appiah and Theodore Maunir - all Swiss citizens. The commission first met on February 17, 1863 and called itself the “International Committee for the Relief of the Wounded.”
In the following months, these five members of the Committee carried out intense activities, as a result of which an international conference was held in Geneva in October 1863. Representatives of sixteen states took part in it. For this occasion, the distinctive negative sign of the Swiss flag was chosen - a red cross on a white background.
The sign was intended to highlight, and therefore protect, those who provide assistance to wounded soldiers. This conference formed the basis for the establishment of the RED CROSS. And the committee itself was later renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The great merit of Henri Dunant is that he did not limit himself to the individual and spontaneous humanitarian gestures of his predecessors, but put forward new, specific proposals in his book and disseminated them widely:
“Is it not possible to create relief societies in all European countries which, in wartime, on a voluntary basis, would provide care for the wounded, regardless of nationality?”
This proposal would form the basis for the creation of national Red Cross societies and, later, Red Crescent Societies.
In addition to protecting the wounded, according to Henry Dunant, it was necessary to provide the status of neutrality in the battle area to those caring for them. Therefore, he proposed to formulate:
“...an international principle, conventional and legalized, which, if agreed upon and ratified, would form the basis of societies for the relief of the wounded in different countries...”.
This second proposal of Dunant marked the beginning of modern international humanitarian law, the first written and concrete embodiment of which will be the Geneva Convention of 1864.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the founding agency of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Fig.6 Emblems of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
2. History of the Russian Red Cross
1854-1914
In 1854, during the Crimean War, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna founded the Holy Cross community of sisters of mercy in St. Petersburg. The community's sisters of mercy provided assistance to war victims - the wounded and sick. During the heroic defense of Sevastopol (1854-1855), the outstanding Russian surgeon N.I. Pirogov was entrusted with the leadership of this community.
Many researchers consider Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna and Pirogov, the founder of the nursing service, as well as the English subject Florence Nightingale, who in 1854 led a detachment of nurses working in an English hospital during the Crimean War, as predecessors of Henri Dunant.
Russia ratified the Geneva Convention on May 10, 1867, and at the same time, on May 15, 1867, Emperor Alexander II approved the Charter of the Society for the Care of Wounded and Sick Soldiers (in 1876 it was renamed the Russian Red Cross Society). On May 18, the first meeting of the created society took place, which elected a central governing body - the Main Directorate. By this time, Russia had accumulated extensive experience in providing assistance to war victims. Russia was one of the first countries in the world where the Red Cross Society was created. Over the years, the Russian Red Cross Society became one of the most powerful in the world, not only in its social influence, due to the fact that members of the imperial family were widely represented in it, but also, equally, in its financial resources(the monthly budget of the ROCC reached 18 million rubles).
From the first years of its existence, ROKK developed its activities both within the country and abroad. The society's units worked on the battlefields during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), the war of Montenegro and Serbia with Turkey (1976), the Serbo-Bulgarian (1885), the Greek-Turkish (1897) and other wars and conflicts. The Society also provided assistance to other National Societies when their countries were at war, such as France and Prussia (1870-1871).
The Russian Red Cross Society set itself broader goals than societies in other countries. The ROKK Charter, adopted in 1893, in addition to helping the wounded on the battlefields during the war, also provided for assistance to war invalids and the population affected by natural disasters.
1914-1918
38 states were involved in the First World War, the number of active armies exceeded 29 million people, and more than 20 million people died. At this time, the ROKK prepared and sent 10 thousand nurses to the medical institutions of the military department, formed 150 food centers, more than 20 sanitary courts, equipped 360 sanitary trains, and 65 anti-epidemic detachments worked in areas where the wounded were concentrated. The Information Bureau for Prisoners of War Affairs operated in Petrograd. During the First World War, chemical weapons were used for the first time on the battlefields of Europe - asphyxiating gases brought severe suffering to soldiers. ROKK not only organized enterprises in Moscow and Petrograd for the production of special protective bandages, but also ensured their delivery to the front.
A general meeting of members of the Russian Red Cross Society was held in Moscow, where the Charter was adopted and the Central Committee was elected. The humane traditions and valuable experience of the ROKK were adopted by the Soviet Red Cross and were widely developed in its activities.
The October Revolution and the civil war that followed brought severe trials to the people of Russia. During this period, the main focus of the activities of the Soviet Red Cross was assistance in the fight against epidemic diseases and hunger. 439 sanitary institutions were formed and sent to the fronts, including sanitary-epidemiological detachments, food centers, and hospitals.
The resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, signed by V.I. Lenin on May 30, 1918, brought to the attention of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the governments of all states that recognized the Geneva Convention that “this convention, both in its original and in all later editions, as well as all other international conventions and agreements relating to the Red Cross, recognized by Russia before October 1917, are recognized and will be respected by the Soviet Government, which retains all rights and prerogatives based on these conventions and agreements."
1921-1930
The humane attitude of the Soviet Red Cross towards prisoners of war and refugees and its activities to alleviate the suffering of the population received recognition from the international community and on October 15, 1921, the International Red Cross officially recognized the Soviet Red Cross.
In 1921, a severe drought affected the regions of the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, and southern Ukraine. The activities of the Red Cross Society during this period developed in two directions: medical and food assistance to the population and work to collect donations within the country and abroad. During this period, 17 medical and food teams were created, equipped and sent to disaster areas using the funds raised. When a wave of epidemic diseases began, the Soviet Red Cross formed and sent three specialized sanitary-epidemic teams to disaster areas, which not only cleaned and examined the area, but also built baths and disinfected premises.
The Soviet Red Cross carried on intensive negotiations with Mr. F. Nansen, the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations and called for assistance to the starving people of Russia. In the same year, the Red Cross Societies of Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, the USA and other countries responded to this call. As a result, the Nansen Committee ensured that 5 million poods of food were sent to Russia.
Help from all foreign countries for the period from 1921 to 1922. amounted to more than 512 million tons of food, which made it possible to provide food for about 11 million hungry people.
In 1923, representatives of the Red Cross Societies of the RSFSR, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia and the Azerbaijan Red Crescent concluded an agreement on the formation of the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (SOKK and CP USSR).
During this period, through the efforts of SOKK and KP activists, medical and obstetric centers were opened, primarily in remote and backward areas of the Far North, Siberia and Central Asia.
During the same period, the Soviet Red Cross, at its own expense, organized a health service for young pioneers, and a network of children's preventive outpatient clinics, camps, sanatoriums, playgrounds, and nurseries was created. In 1925, the Artek pioneer camp was opened with funds from the Central Committee of the OKC of the RSFSR. SOKK and Communist Party of the USSR initiated the creation of air ambulance, which contributed to the timely treatment of thousands of patients.
In the pre-war 30s, the SOKK and Communist Party of the USSR organized mass training of the population in first aid techniques, caring for the sick at home, sanitary posts and squads were formed. In 1926-1927 To support the state health care system, local SOKK and KP organizations created nursing courses.
1934-1945
In a climate of international tension, the Soviet Red Cross began mass preparation of the population for the sanitary defense of the country. In 1934, training began for the adult population under the “Ready for Sanitary Defense” (GSO) program and for schoolchildren “Be Prepared for Sanitary Defense.”
In 1934, the ROKK, as part of the SOKK and KP, was admitted to the International League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The activities of SOKK and KP in the field of mass medical and sanitary training of the population and treatment and preventive work made a significant contribution to the preparedness of the population for the difficult trials that befell the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War.
During the war years, assistance to the sick and wounded reached an unprecedented scale. Organizations of the Soviet Red Cross trained 23 million people under the GSO program.
Helping the wounded on the battlefields, working in hospitals, loading and unloading ambulances, organizing donations and more - this is the scope and nature of the work carried out by activists of the SOKK and KP societies to help the military sanitary service of the Red Army and civilian health authorities.
A nurse is a girl in a soldier’s overcoat who took up the baton of sisters of mercy during the Crimean War, World War I, Civil and other wars. For their dedicated work, the International Committee of the Red Cross awarded 46 Soviet women the Florence Nightingale medal.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Red Cross actively participated in organizing the donor movement. 5.5 million people were involved in this movement, among them 90% were women, and over two million liters of donor blood were sent to the front. In 1944, the Executive Committee of the SOKK and KP formed 30 sanitary-epidemiological detachments that operated in the liberated regions of Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova.
The Great Patriotic War is one of the most striking pages in the history of the Soviet Red Cross, which contributed to the common cause of victory over German Nazism.
1945-1963
In the post-war period, the Soviet Red Cross, true to its duty, came to the aid of the peoples of foreign countries in eliminating dangerous infectious diseases, organizing medical institutions and developing national healthcare. Our doctors worked in Poland, China, and North Korea to eliminate epidemics of plague, typhoid, and smallpox. Soviet Red Cross hospitals were opened in Iran, Ethiopia, and North Korea, in which our specialists provided medical care to the local population.
As a token of gratitude for their great contribution to the cause of peace and humanitarianism, the International Red Cross, in February 1963, on the occasion of the centenary of its founding, along with other societies, awarded the SOKK and KP the Vermeil medal. The medal is made of gold and silver, on the front side there is an image of a volunteer orderly, as a symbol of the origin of the Red Cross movement. The inscription on the medal is “International Red Cross, Geneva” and in Latin “Charity on the battlefield”.
1970-1980
Following the principles of humanism and mercy, the Soviet Red Cross provided free assistance to the peoples of foreign countries in the fight against epidemics, diseases, hunger, and the consequences of natural disasters and armed conflicts. For the period from 1981 to 1986 SOKK and KP provided various assistance to 71 countries of the world.
Drought, cyclones, earthquakes, floods, typhoons caused enormous damage to the population of countries such as Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and others. Emergency aid was sent to these countries - tents, blankets, stretchers, medicines, medical instruments, dressings, food.
In 1987, India experienced severe food shortages due to crop failure. Famine began in the country, and epidemics of infectious diseases broke out. Aid to the population of India from the Soviet Red Cross became one of the largest humanitarian actions of the 80s.
To assist in the prevention of infectious diseases, the Soviet Red Cross sent large quantities of vaccines against polio, smallpox and cholera to backward third world countries free of charge. Mobile medical units of the Soviet Red Cross successfully worked in Peru, Jordan, Bangladesh, Algeria, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1980-1981, two medical units of the SOKK and KP worked in Cambodia.
1990
In the 90s, the Russian Red Cross Society faced new challenges to solve problems that had not previously occurred in our country. Rapid socio-economic and political transformations led to the emergence of new independent states on the map of the former USSR.
Interethnic and civil conflicts broke out, which led to the emergence of hundreds of thousands of refugees and millions of internally displaced persons. The socio-economic crisis has left below the poverty line not only such vulnerable categories as pensioners, large families, disabled people, children from disadvantaged families, but also a large number of the working population.
On July 20, 1996, the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “On state support of the Russian Red Cross Society” was issued, and on December 27 of the same year, the Resolution of the State Duma of the Russian Federation “On state support of the Russian Red Cross Society” was adopted.
3. Fundamental principles
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of the desire to provide assistance to all wounded on the battlefield without exception or preference, strives in all circumstances, both internationally and nationally, to prevent or alleviate human suffering. The movement is designed to protect the life and health of people and ensure respect for the human person. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace between peoples.
IMPARTIALITY
The movement makes no distinction based on race, religion, class or political opinion. It only seeks to alleviate the suffering of people, and first of all those who need it most.
NEUTRALITY
INDEPENDENCE
Movement is independent. National Societies, while assisting their governments in their humanitarian activities and subject to the laws of their country, must nevertheless always maintain autonomy in order to be able to act in accordance with the principles of the Red Cross.
VOLUNTARY
In its voluntary assistance activities, the Movement is in no way guided by a desire for profit.
UNITY
There can only be one National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society per country. It must be open to everyone and carry out its humanitarian activities throughout the country.
VERSATILITY
The movement is worldwide. All National Societies use equal rights and are obliged to help each other.
The Fundamental Principles were proclaimed at the 20th International Conference of the Red Cross in Vienna in 1965. This revised text forms part of the Constitution International Movement Red Cross and Red Crescent, adopted at the XXV International Conference of the Red Cross, held in Geneva in 1986.
4. Emblem
The red cross and red crescent are one of the most recognizable symbols all over the world. Originally created to represent the sanitation services of the armed forces and provide protection for the sick and wounded, they have evolved over time into symbols of impartial care provided to all who suffer. However, the fact that a person, organization or company is involved or wishes to participate in relief work does not in itself give them the right to use those symbols in carrying out their activities.
The use of these emblems and the name "Red Cross" is governed by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, as well as the national legislation of each state.
The Red Cross emblem is the key to all humanitarian activities - the emblem is designed to protect both the victims and the people who came to their aid. In countries with a predominantly Muslim population, traditionally, the red crescent is used instead of the red cross emblem, thus
THE RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT EMBLEM DOES NOT CARRY ANY RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL MEANING, ARE NOT SYMBOLS OF MEDICINE AND ARE EQUAL IN USE.
Any use of the red cross (red crescent) emblem not authorized by the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols and by unauthorized institutions (commercial firms, non-governmental organizations, pharmacies, individuals, private practitioners, hospitals, clinics and ambulances) is misuse (abuse) .
Clause 2.1, Article 2 of the Charter of the Russian Red Cross (RRC): “The Russian Red Cross is the only organization on the territory of the Russian Federation that has the right to use the phrase “Red Cross” and the Red Cross emblem in its name.” Clause 2.2, Article 2: “The emblem of the RKK is a heraldic image on a white background of a red cross made of two straight lines of equal length and width, intersecting in the center at a right angle and not reaching the edge of the background. Clause 2.5, Article 2: “The RRC, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto of 1977, the Rules for the use of the Emblem of 1991, establishes rules for the use of the Red Cross emblem on the territory of the Russian Federation.”
HISTORY OF ORIGIN
In 1859, Henri Dunant witnessed the Battle of Solferino, after which thousands of wounded soldiers were left without any help on the battlefield. The bodies of the dead were at the mercy of predators and looters. The army sanitation services failed to cope with their responsibilities, and one of the reasons for this was that they did not have any single distinctive emblem that could be easily identified by each side of the conflict.
An international conference was held in Geneva in 1863, which tried to find a solution to the problem of the low efficiency of army sanitary services on the battlefield. The conference participants approved the emblem: a red cross on a white background, as the distinctive sign of societies providing assistance to wounded military personnel - the future national societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
In 1864, the first of the Geneva Conventions was adopted and the red cross was recognized by the Diplomatic Conference as the distinctive sign of the medical services of the armed forces.
"Out of respect for Switzerland heraldic sign a red cross on a white field, formed by reversing the federal colors...” This explanation, given in Article 38 of the 1949 Geneva Convention I, comes much later, and there is no certainty as to why a red cross on a white background was chosen as the emblem.
How did the red crescent appear?
During the Russo-Turkish War in the Balkans in 1876, the Ottoman Empire chose to use a red crescent on a white background instead of a red cross. It was followed by other countries where the majority of the population professes Islam. At the Diplomatic Conference in 1929, a red crescent on a white background was recognized as the distinctive sign of medical institutions and units.
Subsequently, Article 38 of the 1949 Geneva Convention I recognized the emblems of the red cross and red crescent on a white background as protective insignia of military medical services. This excluded the possibility of using any other signs other than the indicated emblems.
In 1982, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies adopted the red cross and red crescent on a white background as its emblem.
Emblem as a symbol of protection
During times of conflict, the emblem serves as a visible sign of the protection provided in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Conventions. Its purpose is to show the armed forces that the following are protected by the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols:
persons (volunteers from national societies, medical personnel, delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross, etc.)
medical formations (hospitals, first aid stations, mobile hospitals, etc.), as well as
vehicles (land, sea and air).
It is necessary that the emblem used as protective sign, evoked respect and encouraged armed forces to restraint in actions. Therefore it must be large.
The emblem as a symbol of belonging to the movement
The use of the emblem as a distinctive sign is intended to show, primarily in times of peace, that the persons and objects designated by it are related to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (also known as the International Red Cross), i.e. to the following organizations:
national societies (such as the Russian Red Cross),
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or
International Committee of the Red Cross.
In this case, the emblem should be smaller. In addition, the emblem is intended to remind that these organizations are guided in their work by the Fundamental Principles of the Movement.
5. Russian Red Cross
The Russian Red Cross Society was founded on May 15, 1867 and was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross on October 5, 1921.
Since May 1923, the Red Cross Society of the RSFSR was part of the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (SOKK and KP). In 1934, the ROKK, as part of the SOKK and KP, was admitted to the International League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (now the International Federation).
The new Charter of the Russian Red Cross was approved at the XI Congress of the Red Cross Society of the RSFSR on May 30, 1991, and in new editions of the XII (1996) and XIII (2001) congresses of the All-Russian public organization"Russian Red Cross".
The Russian Red Cross (RRC) has 97 regional branches in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, 1548 district branches. The organization has more than 3,000 full-time employees (including 2,178 sisters of mercy) and about 1.5 million members, who are united in 13,355 primary Red Cross organizations.
The highest governing body of the RKK is the Congress. During the period between congresses, the activities of the RKK are managed by the RKK Board. The RKK Congress is convened by the RKK Board once every 5 years. The Chairman of the RKK Board is at the same time the Chairman of the RKK Presidium - a permanent governing collegial body.
The main goals of the Russian Red Cross:
Providing emergency humanitarian aid victims of natural disasters, accidents and catastrophes, in armed conflicts
Providing medical and social assistance to representatives of vulnerable segments of the population
Propaganda of the ideas of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the foundations of international humanitarian law.
Activities of the Russian Red Cross today:
Mercy nursing service, which provides medical and social services at home to lonely elderly and disabled people
Providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population
Assistance programs for populations affected by emergency situations
Operational rescue teams
Preparation of sanitary squads and sanitary posts
Fighting particularly dangerous diseases
Attracting volunteers and training young activists
Free canteens for homeless people, refugees and forced migrants
Children's orphanages
Free health and social assistance centers for the needy population of Russia.
Since 1991, the RKK has launched activities to provide assistance to vulnerable and unprotected segments of the Russian population. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies actively joined in helping the RKK.
RKK has established partnerships with international and non-governmental organizations: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres), World organization health (WHO).
Over the past four years, more than 50 joint federal humanitarian programs have successfully operated in 62 regions of Russia. As a result, more than 10 million of our compatriots (forced migrants, single elderly people, people with disabilities, children from large and single-parent families, orphans, the homeless, the unemployed) were fed, clothed, shod, received medical care, free legal advice, psychological support.
Due to the scale of its work, global network regional branches, extensive international relations and recognition of the population, the Russian Red Cross is currently the leading non-governmental organization engaged in humanitarian activities in the Russian Federation.
6. St. Petersburg branch
The Red Cross movement in Russia originated in St. Petersburg in 1867; it embodied the high ideals of humanism accumulated by humanity.
The St. Petersburg (regional) branch of the Russian Red Cross (St. Petersburg Red Cross) is a structural subdivision of the All-Russian public organization "Russian Red Cross".
The St. Petersburg branch includes 8 district (local) branches and 4 branches, organized on a territorial basis. The organization has more than 100 employees and about 40,000 thousand members, who are united in 315 primary Red Cross organizations.
The highest governing body of the St. Petersburg branch is the Conference, convened by the Board once every 5 years. During the period between conferences, the management of the St. Petersburg branch is carried out by the Board of the regional branch. The Chairman of the Board is at the same time the Chairman of the Presidium - a permanent governing collegial body.
The main goals of the St. Petersburg Red Cross:
Providing effective and high-quality assistance to vulnerable segments of the population of St. Petersburg, and persons affected by armed conflicts and other emergency situations
Promoting respect for the human person
Propaganda of the ideas of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the foundations of international humanitarian law
Since the early 90s of the last century, the St. Petersburg branch has been implementing comprehensive programs to provide assistance to vulnerable and unprotected segments of the population of St. Petersburg. The activities of the organization are promoted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, as well as international and non-governmental organizations: European Commission, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). http://images.yandex.ru/search?p=13&ed=1&text=%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9%20%D0 %BA%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%20%D0%B8%20%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D1%8B %D0%B9%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%8F%D1%86&spsite=fake-054-56490.ru&img_url =upload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fb%2Fb6%2FCroixrouge_logos.jpg%2F800px-Croixrouge_logos.jpg&rpt=simage&nl=1
History of medicine: Textbook for students. higher honey. textbook establishments/ T.A. Sorokina. –3rd ed., revised. and additional –M.: Publishing Center “Academy”, 2004.-560 p.
