American Red Cross, Santa Barbara County Chapter
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.
Description:
Fundamental Principles
As members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the American Red Cross and other national societies have a key role in upholding and abiding by the seven Fundamental Principles.
Humanity: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, 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 endeavors 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 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
History:
History of the American Red Cross
Henry Dunant
The force that drew many men and nation together in the Red Cross Movement was supplied by Henry Dunant of Geneva, Switzerland. He is often spoken of as the founder of the Red Cross and in one sense he was. He was not, however, an organizer or a public figure. He was a private citizen who accidentally became acquainted with the human wreckage caused by war.
The Battle
In 1859, Dunant was traveling in Northern Italy. He was a young businessman of 30, and he had only one object in view — to get the support of the Emperor of France for a business project in Algeria. The fact that the emperor was then leading the French army against the army of Austria did not deter the enthusiastic young promoter.
He did not meet the emperor, but he could not escape seeing the casualties left by the battle of Solferino, where the French victory over the Austrians left 40,000 dead and wounded on the battlefield. On the day of the battle, Dunant had arrived in the nearby town of Castiglione. He joined in the work of relief, sent his coach to bring supplies, and wrote to his friends in Switzerland for aid. He labored for three days at his unfamiliar task. Then he returned home, never again to be just like the young man who had set out to discuss a business deal with an emperor. Solferino changed Dunant.
The Book
If Dunant had merely helped the wounded, the world would probably never have heard of him; but he had to go further than that. What he had seen gave his conscience no rest. He resolved to write an appeal against the terrifying inhumanity he had witnessed, on the chance that he might move people to prevent or to reduce the suffering of soldiers. The result was A Memory of Solferino (Un Souvenir de Solferino), printed in Geneva in October 1862. This famous book, mailed by the author to influential people throughout Europe, excited them beyond all expectation.
Move Toward Organization
Dunant was not an "organization man," but one of the readers of his book was the head of a group engaged in local relief work. Gustav Moynier, a fellow townsman of Dunant's, was chairman of the Geneva Society for Public Welfare. He placed Dunant's proposals before this group on February 9, 1863, and became the chief force that would shape Dunant's vision into an organization.The Society approved the appointment of a committee of five men to continue work on Dunant's material.
This committee, which later at Moynier's suggestion called itself the "Permanent International Committee," decided to call an international conference in Geneva. The committee was chaired by General Dufour, Switzerland's leading soldier. The secretary was Dunant; the other members were Moynier and two physicians, Dr. Appia and Dr. Maunoir. These men laid the groundwork for an international humanitarian agreement, the Geneva Convention, and for the related system of national societies now known as Red Cross societies.
Contact person: Lauren Ward, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (805) 682-4655
Address:
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2707 State StreetSanta Barbara, CA 93105(See a map) |
Web Site: http://sbredcross.org
Directions:
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Take Mission St exit from US-101. Turn right onto W. Mission St. Turn left onto State St. End at 2707 State St. |
| Last updated on February 27, 2009 |
