The Russian Red Cross Society is part of the international movement of the same name, known for its humanitarian focus. The protection of human life and health, the alleviation of human suffering, the formation of respect for each individual are key tasks of the largest humanitarian association on the planet. As of 2018, the movement exists in 190 countries, and the number of volunteers participating in the humanization of the planet is estimated in millions.
How did the ICCO come about?
The Russian Red Cross Society appeared a bit later than the world, which is often forgotten by historians and lovers of antiquity. The idea of creating an international community appeared in 1859 with the Swiss businessman Henri Dunant, who witnessed the battle of Solferino, in which more than 40 thousand people were injured. Medical services did not have time to help the wounded, and the entrepreneur appealed for help to residents of nearby villages. He used the motto: “All people are brothers” to attract volunteers, regardless of their country and nationality. The idea of universal equality appealed to many.
Later, Dunant wrote a book about the battle, in which he expressed the idea of creating an international organization capable of providing all possible support to the victims of hostilities. As a result, the predecessor of today's Red Cross appeared in 1863 and was then called the International Committee for Assisting the Wounded. In addition to Dunant, it included four more residents of Geneva: philanthropists and doctors. Under their patronage in 1864, the famous convention was adopted, regulating the fate of wounded and sick soldiers, as well as implying the creation of a committee to assist such citizens in every country.
What does the organization of the Red Cross do?
Today, this humanitarian organization has a large number of powers and functions. In addition to helping victims of military clashes, volunteers help rebuild separated families, protect civilians, and interact with services that search for missing people. The activities of the Russian Red Cross Society are consistent with global goals and objectives, this is a prerequisite for the existence of an organization unit in our country.
Among other things, the committee delivers humanitarian aid to residents of war zones, as well as organizes refugee camps where they are able to protect themselves and their families from natural disasters, wars and other conflicts. The key difference of this organization is the unity of people who differ from each other in their social status, nationality and religion.
How about in Russia?
The year of creation of the Russian Red Cross Society is considered to be 1854, Elena Pavlovna, the Grand Duchess of the Romanov family, became its founder. Then it was about the community, where they were preparing sisters of mercy, which were to replenish the staff of hospitals in Sevastopol, which was then under siege. Throughout the year, about 200 girls learned the basics of medical affairs under the guidance of the famous surgeon N.I. Pirogov.
Some historians, answering the question of when the Russian Red Cross Society was created, recommend starting a countdown from 1867. It was then that Emperor Alexander II approved the charter of the organization, which was to take care of the sick and wounded soldiers. In 1879, it received its modern name; its honorary members were secular persons close to the court. The empress personally patronized society, it was thanks to her that she was able to gain significant weight in the then society.
The organization received its first “baptism of fire” in 1870, the personnel trained by it provided medical assistance on the fields of the Franco-Prussian war. The experience gained made its managers understand that it is important to bring medicines, dressings, necessary equipment in a timely manner, and sanitary personnel should be trained constantly, as there are more and more victims as a result of military operations with each battle.
After analyzing the work of the organization, the government came to an important conclusion in 1882 - the creation of the Russian Red Cross Society had a positive impact on the situation in the country. Then the volunteers began to provide assistance to sick and wounded servicemen in peacetime. The soldiers were treated free of charge, and also gave them the opportunity to master a craft. Wheelchairs, orphanages, orphan schools, and a widow's house were opened. The military personnel who received injuries were provided with permits to various medical institutions of Russia and foreign countries.
During the First and Second World Wars, the efforts of the Red Cross in Russia trained more than a million nurses and combatants who were able to provide first aid to the wounded. For family reunification in 1945, they even had to turn on the Central Information Bureau, which then accepted almost 3 million applications for lost relatives and family members.
How did the echoes of the war affect the ROCC?
In 1945, a large number of people lost sight of each other, destroyed families for many years trying to find their relatives. Many of them used the services of the Information Search Center of the Russian Red Cross Society, which was opened specifically to help the population find the missing people. The institution’s work schedule was approved in Geneva in 1949, and it was planned that it would only search for those who went missing during World War II.
Today, the Russian Red Cross Society is one of the first places where residents of our country turn to along with the police when relatives and relatives are missing. Social search is carried out in collaboration with a large number of similar institutions in different countries of the world. Often, lost people are found after requests sent to the international tracing service located in the German city of Bad Arolsen.
Each request is considered individually with the help of volunteers, and in approximately 80% of cases, searches are completed successfully. The center is located in Moscow at ul. Kuznetsky bridge, d. 18/7, if you do not have the opportunity to go there in person, you can send your request in writing using the index - 107031. You can also ask all questions about finding missing people by phone numbers that are available on the official website Society.
What is the functionality of the Russian branch?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the organization continued to exist, in 1992 a decision was made to liquidate the Soviet branch and form the Russian Red Cross Society on its basis. A year later, the leaders of the organization began to carry out active program activities: new shelters were opened, the population was massively trained to provide first aid, and support was provided to the unprotected sections of the country's population.
In the late 1990s, the efforts of the local branch of the institution in Russia began an active fight against AIDS and tuberculosis. In parallel, various support was given to migrants forced to leave their homes due to military conflicts. Floods and hurricanes in the south of Russia in the early 2000s did not go unnoticed by Red Cross volunteers, the victims received qualified help as soon as possible.
2012 was a real test for Russian volunteers, a real test - floods in Derbent and Krymsk claimed a large number of human lives, about 10 thousand people sought medical help. Since then, training events have been constantly held in the North Caucasus for physicians of various specializations.
What are the goals and objectives of the Red Cross?
Every day, the functionality of this organization is expanding and requires the involvement of an increasing number of volunteers. The tasks of the Russian Red Cross Society have always been humanitarian in nature, its volunteers must protect the human dignity and life of those people who involuntarily became a victim of armed clashes and other conflicts. The main objective of the organization is to prevent the possible suffering of all of humanity.
The Russian branch of the world humanitarian organization is obliged to carry out activities in our country aimed at protecting health and helping victims of conflicts. It should actively contact medical services and civil defense departments of the Ministry of Emergencies in each region, since the latter most often take part in the evacuation and involuntary resettlement of citizens for one reason or another.
The activities of humanitarian organizations are usually studied in detail in sociology courses. Students who come across the question “What are the tasks of the Russian Red Cross” on the exam, in addition to all of the above, note the creation of a service to search for missing people. They also include here the organization of voluntary blood donation from citizens, health education for residents of the state, the reception and distribution of humanitarian aid from other countries and enterprises. The institution also annually publishes a report with detailed income and expenses, which anyone can read.
What units exist within society?
A key component of the humanitarian organization is a number of branches of the local and regional type, created back in the 20th century and today operate according to a single existing charter. Also, the structure of the Russian Red Cross Society includes a charitable foundation created in 2003 to attract resources that can solve a number of problems in the social sphere. To date, the team of this fund, in addition to its main activity, is actively working to improve the psychological and moral state of Russians, conducts educational activities, and also helps social rehabilitation for those Russians who cannot independently defend their interests.
Among other things, the domestic unit includes a resource center, which is engaged not only in education, but also in the prevention of socially significant diseases: tuberculosis, HIV, etc. When the Russian Red Cross Society was created, a large number of social services were formed, the first of which began its work under the Tsar’s Railway and still exists today. In 1947, a hospital was opened in Addis Ababa by the Soviet branch of the world humanitarian organization, which, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is also under the jurisdiction of Russian specialists.
Who helps ROCC?
Despite the fact that Russia has long been in a state of peace, there is enough work for humanitarian workers. Our volunteers provide assistance to residents of various countries where military operations are taking place. At the same time, the organization’s partners provide great support here - private and state structures of various orientations and spheres. In some cases, direct financing is provided by the Government of the Russian Federation, allocating the necessary amount from the budget.
The history of the creation of the Russian Red Cross Society and its further functioning includes a large number of cases when various humanitarian events were held with the money of patrons. Initially, financing was carried out only by state bodies, but today anyone can provide feasible support and transfer any amount to the organization’s accounts. At the same time, it’s not at all necessary to help with money, you can transfer clothes, warm clothes, toys to a branch of a humanitarian institution, perhaps with their help someone will get hope for a better life and will again believe in human kindness.
Who can benefit from cooperation with the ROCC?
The Russian Red Cross Society has set itself the goal of training as many people as possible to provide first aid. Anyone can sign up for these courses only because every family has elderly people who may need it at any time. In addition, we never know where and when we will have to face an emergency. In the training centers, you can learn to save the life of someone who is in trouble before the arrival of doctors, learn all about the simplest methods of first aid and how you can help others and yourself.
At the end of the XIX century, when the organization was just created, it was planned that it would work for free and not require any financial investments from all those who apply there for help. The creation of the Russian Red Cross Society was carried out according to a similar principle, which is why all the courses and trainings that are held under its patronage were initially free. Unfortunately, now the situation has changed, but all the proceeds go to good deeds.
Over the past few years, cases of fraud have become more frequent when some organizations provide paid first aid training under the guise of a world-famous humanitarian organization. In order not to get into trouble, it is best to turn directly to its volunteers and representatives.
How can youth help?
The contribution of the younger generation has always been highly valued by volunteers and trustees. In the 1920s, there were so many volunteers that I had to open a health service for the pioneers of the Russian Red Cross Society. Each pioneer detachment had its own medical kit, children's sanatoriums were opened, and active educational work was carried out aimed at improving the quality of life of babies. In 1925, near the Gurzuf there was a children's recreation camp "Artek", created with the help of ROCK.
Today, the activity of the Russian Red Cross Society literally rests on initiative youth. The organization is ready to accept people from 14 to 30 years old who are ready to conduct active work as a member of its local branch. Her leadership sets a large number of goals: attracting young people to voluntary work, integrating the young generation in society, creating and disseminating in society the idea of equality and tolerance towards people who are in a difficult situation.
A healthy lifestyle, free donation, humanism and mercy are all actively promoted by the participants of the humanitarian organization. In parallel, they carry out the prevention of social diseases and negative phenomena among the population, and also involve citizens of their city to participate in various social programs. In case of emergency, it is the volunteers who are most often the first at the scene and try to help the victims.