International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement comprises the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. All these organizations are legally independent of each other and are linked within the Movement by common principles, objectives, symbols, statutes and organs. The Movement's mission, which is equally valid worldwide - independent of state institutions and based on voluntary assistance - is the protection of life, health and dignity as well as the reduction of suffering of people in need without regard to nationality and origin or religious, ideological or political views of those affected and those providing assistance.

Founded in 1863 at the instigation of Henry Dunant, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is made up of up to 25 Swiss nationals, is the oldest international medical aid organisation and the only organisation covered by international humanitarian law and named as its controlling body. It is the oldest organization in the Movement and, along with the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, one of the few original non-governmental subjects of international law. Its exclusively humanitarian mission, based on the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, is to protect the life and dignity of the victims of wars and internal conflicts.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, successor to the League of Red Cross Societies established in 1919, coordinates cooperation between national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies within the Movement and provides support for the establishment of new National Societies. At the international level, it leads and organizes, in cooperation with the national societies, relief missions after non-war emergencies such as natural disasters and epidemics.

The national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are organizations in almost all countries of the world, each of which operates in its own country in accordance with international humanitarian law and the statutes of the International Movement and supports the work of the ICRC and the Federation. Their main tasks in their home countries are disaster relief and the dissemination of the Geneva Conventions. Within the limits of their possibilities, they may also carry out other social and humanitarian tasks not directly prescribed by international law or the principles of the Movement. In many countries these include, for example, blood donation and rescue services, as well as care for the elderly and other areas of social work.

From its foundation in 1928 as the umbrella organization of the ICRC and the Federation until its renaming in 1986, the official name of the movement was the International Red Cross. However, this name, which has been widely used up to the present day, and the resulting abbreviation IRK should no longer be used if possible, as they can lead to problems in distinguishing between the ICRC and the Federation in the public perception.

Activities

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Structure and organization

Members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. These organizations are linked within the Movement by the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the Movement's Council of Delegates, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Standing Commission as joint organs.

The International Conference is the supreme body of the Movement. Here the representatives of the National Societies, the ICRC and the Federation, as well as the representatives of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions, meet approximately every four years. It "contributes to the unity of the Movement as well as to the further development of international humanitarian law and other international agreements of special interest to the Movement" and adopts its decisions, recommendations and declarations in the form of resolutions. The participants of the Conference also elect the members of the Standing Commission and may delegate mandates to the ICRC or the Federation within the framework of the Statutes. Participants must respect the principles of the Movement and, as speakers, refrain from making any controversial political, racial, religious or ideological statements.

The representatives of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the ICRC and the Federation form the Council of Delegates. Within the framework of the Statutes, the Council "shall express its views on any question affecting the Movement and, if necessary, take appropriate decisions" by consensus. The Council usually meets before an International Conference. Representatives of new National Societies in the process of recognition have the opportunity to attend meetings.

Between International Conferences, the Standing Commission is the administrator of the Conference. It works to ensure that the organisations of the Movement co-operate harmoniously, seeks to implement the resolutions of the Conference and deals with matters affecting the Movement as a whole. It has nine members, five of whom are members of National Societies, two representatives of the ICRC and two representatives of the Federation. The Commission is responsible for determining the venue, date, programme and provisional agenda of the Conference. It is also responsible for settling disagreements arising from the interpretation or application of the Movement's statutes.

Collectively known as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the ICRC, Federation and National Societies currently have some 97 million active members worldwide, of whom some 300,000 are full-time.

Principles

The Seven Principles of the Movement proclaimed on October 8, 1965, at the XX International Conference held October 2-9, 1965, were amended by the XXV International Conference held October 23-31, 1986. International Conference of October 23-31, 1986, and read:

• Humanity
• Impartiality
• Neutrality (Engl. Neutrality)
• Independence
• Voluntary Service
• Unity
• Universality.

All members and organisations of the Red Cross or Red Crescent are committed to these principles.

Motto, commemoration day and places of interest

The first motto of the International Committee of the Red Cross was "Inter Arma Caritas" (German: "In the midst of arms, humanity"). It was first used in 1888 by Gustave Moynier on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Red Cross movement. In doing so, he described a picture depicting a Red Cross helper in the midst of warfare, which was reproduced in the ICRC's jubilee publication. The motto was circulated on the respective issues of Bulletin International from 1889 onwards. In 1961, it was supplemented for the entire Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by the slogan "Per Humanitatem ad Pacem" (German: "Through humanity to peace"). These slogans thus also express the historically conditioned orientation of both organisations towards their priority tasks.

The mission statement of the "Strategy 2010" adopted by the Federation, which emerged from the experience of the 1990s, reads:

From 1999 to 2004, all activities of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement were therefore carried out under the slogan "The power of Humanity". During the 28th International Conference in Geneva in December 2003, the conference motto "Protecting human Dignity" was chosen as the new slogan for the Movement's activities.

At the 16th International Red Cross Conference in London in 1938, it was decided to commemorate the birthday of Henry Dunant on 8 May each year as a day of remembrance and celebration of the International Movement. Since 1984, this day has been called "World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day".

In Solferino, in addition to a small museum dedicated mainly to the Battle of Solferino and the history of the Italian Wars of Liberation, there is the Ossario di Solferino Bone Chapel, which houses the skulls of 1,413 casualties of the battle and bones of about 7,000 other victims, and the Red Cross Monument, inaugurated in 1959. In neighbouring Castiglione delle Stiviere, the International Museum of the Red Cross was opened in the same year. Right next to the ICRC headquarters in Geneva is the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. The Henry Dunant Museum in Heiden on Lake Constance, which focuses on the life and work of Henry Dunant, was set up in the hospital where he spent the last 18 years of his life.

ICRC activities and organization

Mission and tasks

The ICRC's mission as an impartial, neutral and independent organization is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal conflict and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in armed conflicts and is thus, according to the Seville Agreement, the lead agency of the Movement in such situations. The original tasks of the ICRC, as defined by the Geneva Conventions and the Statute of the Committee, include the organisation and implementation of the following measures in situations of war and crisis:

• monitoring compliance with international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions
• Care and treatment of the wounded
• Supervision of the treatment of prisoners of war and their care
• Family reunification and the search for missing persons (Tracing Service)
• Protection and care of the civilian population
• Mediation between the parties to the conflict

In 2006, ICRC delegates visited some 478,000 detainees in some 2,600 locations in 71 countries, of whom nearly 25,400 were visited and registered for the first time. Some 300,000 Red Cross messages were exchanged between family members separated from each other. Some 11,600 people were traced for the first time and nearly 1,100 children were reunited with their families. Around 2.6 million people received ICRC assistance in the form of food, around four million in the form of tents, blankets, hygiene items and similar material, 15.9 million in the form of water and sanitation and around 2.4 million in the form of health posts and similar facilities. Some 18,000 members of military, security and police units in more than 100 countries received instruction on IHL through the ICRC in more than 300 courses.

Structure and organization

The ICRC has its headquarters in Geneva and branches in about 80 other countries. In 2006, some 12,500 people were working on the Committee's international activities worldwide, of whom about 800 were at headquarters in Geneva, about 1,500 were so-called expatriates, half of whom were delegates to lead international missions and half specialists such as doctors, engineers, logisticians, translators and others, and about 10,200 were members of national societies in the field. Contrary to widespread assumptions, the ICRC is neither a non-governmental organization in terms of its structure and organizational form, nor, as the name would suggest, an international organization. The word "international" in its name refers to its mandate granted by the global community of states in the Geneva Conventions and derives from the concept of "inter nationes" (between states). The Geneva Conventions are thus the basis of international law and, together with the Committee's statutes, the legal basis for its activities. In addition, it has further rights, privileges and immunities to carry out its tasks through treaties with individual states and international organizations, as well as through national laws in individual countries. With regard to the legal basis for its existence and organization, the ICRC is a private association under Swiss association law. According to its statutes, it is composed of 15 to 25 Swiss citizens who are co-opted by the Committee itself for a period of four years at a time. Multiple re-election is possible; after three periods, a three-quarters majority of all committee members is required for any future re-election.

The two main bodies of the ICRC are the Directorate and the Assembly. The Directorate is the executive organ of the Committee and consists of a Director General and five Directors for Operations, Personnel, Resources and Operational Support, Communications and International Law and Cooperation within the Movement. The members of the Directorate are appointed by the Assembly for four-year terms. The Assembly, consisting of all members of the Committee, meets regularly and is responsible for setting goals, policies and strategies, overseeing the activities of the Committee and controlling the budget. Its president is the president of the committee, elected for a four-year term at a time. He is assisted by two vice presidents. While one of the two vice-presidents also serves for four years, the term of the second is not limited, but ends when he resigns from office or leaves the committee. The Assembly also elects a five-member Assembly Council. The Assembly delegates decision-making powers on specific matters to the Assembly Council. In addition, the Assembly Council prepares the meetings of the Assembly and serves as a liaison between the Assembly and the Directorate.

Due to Geneva's location in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, the ICRC usually operates under its French name Comité international de la Croix-Rouge or the resulting abbreviation CICR. The symbol used by the ICRC is the Red Cross on a white background with the inscription "COMITE INTERNATIONAL GENEVE" encircled in a circle.

Funding

The ICRC's budget is largely financed by Switzerland as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions and their contracting states, as well as by the national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and to a lesser extent by international organizations such as the European Union and by donations from companies, associations and private individuals. All these payments are made voluntarily on the basis of appeals, separately for internal operating costs and emergency appeals. These appeals are presented annually by the ICRC to representatives of potential supporters. Because of their thoroughness, the ICRC's financial plans are regarded in diplomatic circles as an early warning system for humanitarian crises.

The total planned budget for 2011 is approximately 1.23 billion Swiss francs, the highest level in the Committee's history. It is divided between 1.05 billion Swiss francs (85.1 per cent) for relief operations and 183.5 million Swiss francs (14.9 per cent) for internal costs. The year-on-year increase is approximately 11.6 per cent in planned expenditure for relief operations and 6.1 per cent in projected internal costs. With a total projected requirement of 385.5 million Swiss francs, about 37 per cent of the planned expenditure for relief operations, the main focus of relief activities will be in Africa, as in previous years. The ICRC's mission in Afghanistan is its largest mission, with a projected cost of 89.4 million Swiss francs, followed by the missions in Iraq (85.8 million Swiss francs) and Sudan (82.8 million Swiss francs).

Activities and organization of the Federation

Mission and tasks

Within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the Federation coordinates cooperation between National Societies and supports the creation and development of new National Societies in countries where none yet exists. At the international level, the Federation organizes and leads relief operations in particular in non-war emergencies, such as after natural disasters, technical accidents, epidemics, mass exodus and the end of armed conflict. According to the Seville Agreement, the Federation is the lead agency for such operations. It cooperates with the Operating National Societies (ONS) of the countries concerned as well as with Participating National Societies (PNS) of other countries. Of the 192 National Societies that are currently members or observers of the Federation's General Assembly, some 25 to 30 are regularly active as PNSs in other countries. Among the most active National Societies at the international level are the AmericanRed Cross, the British Red Cross, the German Red Cross and the National Red Cross Societies of Sweden and Norway. The Federation also supports the ICRC in its missions. A current focus of the Federation's work is advocacy for a ban on landmines and medical, psychological and social care for mine victims.

The tasks of the Federation can therefore be summarised as follows:

• Dissemination of humanitarian principles and values
• Response to disasters and other emergencies through relief operations
• Disaster preparedness through education and training of relief workers as well as provision and distribution of relief goods
• Preventive health care and socio-medical care at local level

Structure and organization

The Federation also has its headquarters in Geneva and, in addition, 14 regional offices in different regions and some 350 delegates in more than 60 countries. The binding legal basis of the Federation in terms of its objectives, structure, funding and cooperation with other organizations, including the ICRC, is its Constitution. The executive body of the Federation is the Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General. The Secretariat has four divisions: Support Services, National Society and Field Support, Policy and Relations, and Movement Cooperation. The latter division is responsible for the implementation of the ICRC's mission and its funding. The latter is responsible for cooperation with the ICRC.

The highest body of the Federation is the General Assembly, which meets every two years and consists of delegates from all national societies. It also appoints the Secretary General. Between meetings of the General Assembly, the Governing Board is the governing body and, as such, has decision-making powers in certain matters. The Governing Board consists of the President and Vice-Presidents of the Federation, the Chairman of the Finance Commission and elected representatives of national societies. Subordinate to it are four other commissions for "Health and Community Services", "Youth Work", "Disaster Relief" and "Development".

For its activities, the Federation uses the combination of a red cross (left) and a red "crescent" (right) on a white background (usually surrounded by a red border) and without any other inscription as a distinctive mark.

Funding

The Federation finances the regular costs of its activities through contributions paid by the national societies belonging to it as members and through income from investments and financial transactions. The amount of the contribution payments is determined by the Finance Commission and confirmed by the General Assembly. Further income, in particular for unforeseen special expenses, results primarily from voluntary payments by national societies, governments, other organisations, companies of the free economy and individuals. The Federation publishes appeals for donations according to concrete needs, especially for short-term relief operations.

In 2009, the Federation received income of 36.0 million Swiss francs from contributions, 4.6 million Swiss francs from undesignated donations, 14.2 million Swiss francs from investments and financial operations, and approximately 17.6 million Swiss francs from other payments. In addition, there were earmarked donations due to appeals amounting to 282.6 million Swiss francs and 33.0 million Swiss francs in the form of other earmarked payments. This was offset by expenditure totalling 475.6 million Swiss francs. The resulting shortfall was financed entirely from reserves, which amounted to CHF 442.6 million in 2009, including CHF 249.4 million in cash.

Activities and organisation of the national societies

Mission and tasks

The original tasks of a National Society, deriving from the Geneva Conventions and the Movement's Statutes, include the provision of humanitarian assistance in the event of armed conflict and other emergencies of major proportions, such as natural disasters, as well as the dissemination of knowledge of international humanitarian law. Both the ICRC and the Federation cooperate with National Societies in their respective activities, particularly with regard to the provision of human, material and financial resources for relief operations.

Within the scope of their respective personnel, financial and organizational possibilities, most national societies also perform other humanitarian tasks in their home countries. For example, many societies play an important role in their home countries in the blood donation system, in civil rescue services or in social services such as care for the elderly and the sick. In these countries, the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies thus also act as service providers in the health sector and as welfare organisations.

Structure and organization

National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies exist in almost all countries of the world. In principle, they perform the tasks, rights and duties of a national society in their home country as defined in the Geneva Conventions. Recognition of an aid organisation as a national society within the meaning of the Conventions is granted by the ICRC on the basis of the Movement's statutes and by the government of the home country. Article 4 of these statutes contains ten conditions for recognition by the ICRC:

1. The organization operates on the territory of an independent state that must be a signatory to the Geneva Conventions.
2. The organisation is governed by a central body, which acts as the sole decision-making body of the organisation and as the contact point for the Movement, and is the only national Red Cross or Red Crescent society in its home country.
3. The respective government has recognized the organization as a voluntary aid society in the sense of the Geneva Conventions.
4. The organization is legally independent and able to act at all times in full accordance with the principles of the movement.
5. The Organization shall use a name and symbol in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols.
6. The Organization is organized in such a way that it can at all times carry out the tasks set out in its own statutes, including the obligation arising from the Geneva Conventions to prepare in peacetime to provide humanitarian assistance in the event of armed conflict.
7. The organization is active throughout the territory of its home country.
8. The admission of its voluntary members shall be without regard to race, sex, class, religion or political opinions.
9. The organization follows the statutes of the movement and is ready to cooperate with all members of the movement.
10. The organization respects the fundamental principles of the movement and operates in accordance with the principles of international law.

Recognition by the ICRC is followed by admission to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. As of November 2016, 190 National Societies are recognized as full members of the Movement. Eritrea's National Societies currently has observer status at the Federation's General Assembly. The Red Cross Societies of Tuvalu were the last National Societies to be admitted to the Federation.

Despite their formal independence, each National Society is bound by the legal situation in its home country with regard to its organisation and activities. In many countries, National Societies enjoy special status in certain respects by virtue of agreements with their governments or corresponding laws, in order to guarantee the full independence demanded by the movement. However, throughout history there have been examples of National Societies that have been institutionalised by the state and instrumentalised for military purposes in particular. Such involvement in state structures and activities is, however, contrary to the principles of independence and neutrality.

Funding

The national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies finance their activities primarily through government grants from the governments and authorities of their respective home countries, donations from private individuals, companies and other institutions, as well as income from economic activities, in particular the provision of services in the health and social sectors. Depending on the legal situation, they are usually recognized as non-profit organizations.

Emblem of the Federation


Entrance to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva


ICRC emblem


The Red Cross Monument in Solferino, Italy

Symbols

Distinction between protective signs and marks

The symbols described below have a dual function. On the one hand, they serve in certain situations as protective signs in the sense of the Geneva Conventions (Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Lion with Red Sun, Red Crystal), and on the other hand as signs of organisations belonging to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

As protective signs, they serve to mark persons and objects (buildings, vehicles, etc.) that are in use in the event of an armed conflict in order to implement the protective arrangements and assistance measures agreed in the Geneva Conventions. This use is referred to as "protective use". As protective signs, these symbols may also be used in particular by corresponding organizations and institutions that are not part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, such as the military medical services or civilian hospitals. When used for protective purposes, they are to be visible as far as possible, for example by means of flags, and are to be used without additions.

When used as a distinguishing mark, these symbols indicate that the persons or entities concerned are part of a particular Red Cross or Red Crescent organization, such as the ICRC, the Federation or a National Society. Such use is referred to as "indicative use". In this case, the symbols should be used smaller and with an appropriate addition such as "German Red Cross".

The misuse of Red Cross symbols is prohibited in many countries by national regulations, for example in Germany by § 125 of the Law on Administrative Offences and by the DRC Law, in Switzerland by the Federal Law on the Protection of the Sign and the Name of the Red Cross (SR 232.22) or in Austria by the Red Cross Law.

Red cross on white background

The Red Cross on a white background was designated as the original protective and distinguishing mark. This is the colour inversion of the Swiss flag, a designation adopted in honour of the Red Cross founder Henry Dunant and his home country. The idea for a uniform protective symbol as well as for its design goes back to the founding members of the International Committee Louis Appia and General Guillaume-Henri Dufour. For the white base colour, Dufour drew on military tradition, according to which the carrying or hoisting of a white flag indicated that the bearers did not consider themselves to be part of the fighting troops. It is sometimes thought that Henry Dunant himself may have observed the use of members of the Camillian Order of Nurses at the Battle of Solferino or elsewhere in Italy, and that their conspicuous emblem of the order (a sewn-on red cloth cross on the black priest's cassock) may have influenced the choice of the international Red Cross movement's symbol of protection. The founder of the order, Camillus of Lellis, had deliberately chosen this emblem in the 16th century in order to be recognised by a conspicuous sign as a helper of those suffering from the plague.

As a protective sign, the Red Cross is described in Article 7 of the Geneva Convention of 1864 or Article 38 of the I Geneva Convention (of 12 August 1949) "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field". When designing the cross as a badge, a cross composed of five squares is usually used for practical reasons. However, this is only an internal Red Cross agreement, officially - for use as a protective sign - any red cross on a white background is acceptable, regardless of formal requirements. Of the 190 recognised National Societies, 152 currently use the red cross as a distinguishing mark, plus the National Society of Tuvalu, which has applied for recognition.

Red Crescent

During the Russo-Ottoman War (1876-1878), the Ottoman Empire used the Red Crescent instead of the Red Cross, as the Ottoman government felt that the Red Cross would offend the religious sensibilities of its soldiers. In 1877, at the request of the ICRC, Russia undertook to recognise the sanctity of all persons and institutions bearing the Red Crescent, whereupon the Ottoman government announced full recognition of the Red Cross in the same year. Following this de facto equation of the Red Crescent with the Red Cross, the International Committee declared in 1878 that, in principle, it was possible to include another sign of protection in the provisions of the Geneva Convention for non-Christian states, since principles of humanity must take precedence over religious convictions. The Red Crescent was formally recognized as an equal sign of protection in 1929 by a diplomatic conference of the signatory states of the Geneva Conventions (Article 19 of the I Geneva Convention as amended in 1929) and was used as such at that time by Egypt and the newly founded Republic of Turkey. Since its official recognition, the National Societies of almost all Islamic-based countries have been using the Red Crescent as a protective and distinguishing mark since their respective founding. The national societies of some countries, such as Pakistan (1974), Malaysia (1975) and Bangladesh (1989), changed from the Red Cross to the Red Crescent in terms of their name and mark. The Red Crescent is currently used as a distinguishing mark by 33 of the 186 recognized National Societies.

Red lion with red sun

Iran and its corresponding auxiliary, the Iranian Red Lion and Red Sun Society, used a red lion and red sun from 1924 to 1980, following the old flag and coat of arms of Iran. Formal recognition as a protective emblem came in 1929, along with the red crescent, through the revision of the Geneva Conventions. Despite the change to the red crescent in 1980, Iran still explicitly reserves the right to use the red lion with red sun, which therefore continues to have the status of an officially recognized emblem of protection.

Red crystal: the symbol of the third additional protocol

Already in 2000, after a discussion that lasted several years, there was a first attempt to introduce another sign besides the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. The background to this was the debate on the recognition of the Israeli Magen David Adom (MDA) society with its Red Star of David, which numerous Islamic states had been blocking for decades. Other attempts to introduce new protective symbols or separate regulations were, for example, applications by the national societies of Thailand (1899 and 1906) for a combination of the Red Cross and a Red Flame (based on Buddhist symbolism), Afghanistan (1935) for recognition of a Red Arch (Mehrab-e-Ahmar) based on its national flag at the time, and Sri Lanka (1957) and India (1977) for use of a red swastika. The National Societies of Kazakhstan (currently Red Crescent) and Eritrea (currently Red Cross) are also seeking to be allowed to use a combination of Red Cross and Red Crescent, similar to the combination of the two symbols used by the Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the Soviet Union until its dissolution. The Eritrean National Society currently has only observer status in the General Assembly of the Federation.

A diplomatic conference with the participation of all 192 signatory states is necessary for changes and additions regarding the signs of protection and thus the Geneva Conventions. However, the conference planned for 2000 was cancelled due to the start of the Second Intifada in the Palestinian territories. Five years later, the government of Switzerland again invited to such a conference. This was originally scheduled to take place on December 5 and 6, 2005, but was then extended to December 7. After Magen David Adom concluded an agreement with the Palestinian Red Crescent prior to the conference, regulating responsibilities and cooperation in operations in the Palestinian territories, Syria requested a similar agreement for access to the Golan Heights by its Red Crescent Society. However, negotiations to this effect with MDA failed to produce a mutually agreeable result, despite compromise offers made by the ICRC to Syria. As a result, the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, which regulates the introduction of the new protective symbol, was not adopted by consensus as had been customary in the past. In a vote, 98 of the States present approved the Protocol, 27 rejected it and ten abstained. As the necessary two-thirds majority was thus achieved, the Protocol is adopted.

The new symbol thus introduced is a red square standing on a point, into which one of the other emblems or a combination of them may also be inserted when used as the emblem of a national society. The official designation is the "Mark of the Third Additional Protocol". For colloquial use, in contrast to earlier proposals such as "Red Lozenge" or "Red Diamond", the ICRC and the Federation favour the designation "Red Crystal", since the abbreviation "RC" for its English translation Red Crystal is identical to the abbreviations for Red Cross and Red Crescent. The same applies to the abbreviation "CR" of the French terms Croix Rouge (Red Cross), Croissant Rouge (Red Crescent) and Cristal Rouge (Red Crystal).

During the 29th International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference in Geneva on 21 June 2006, of the 178 delegations of National Societies and 148 delegations of Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions present, a total of 237 voted in favour of amending the Movement's Statutes to include the Red Crystal. 54 delegations voted against and 18 abstained. The two-thirds majority required for the amendment was thus clearly achieved. On the basis of this decision, the ICRC decided to recognize Magen David Adom and the Palestinian Red Crescent as national societies. As a result, both societies were admitted to the Federation as full members.

Red Star of David

The national society of Israel, Magen David Adom (MDA), used the Red Star of David as its emblem since its foundation in 1930. After the establishment of the MDA, corresponding efforts on the part of the organization to place the symbol on an equal footing with the recognized protective signs of the Geneva Conventions were rejected by the ICRC due to fears of an impracticable proliferation of new signs. A motion by Israel to have the Red Star of David included as an additional sign of protection in the Geneva Conventions was defeated when the conventions were rewritten in 1949, with 21 votes against, 10 in favor, and 8 abstentions. Consequently, Israel signed the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 while at the same time recognizing the previous protective signs only under the reservation that it would itself use the red Star of David as a protective sign.

However, because the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement include the use of a recognized symbol of protection as a condition for recognition of a national society, Magen David Adom was denied full membership in the movement until the adoption of the Third Additional Protocol. The organization has agreed to use the Red Crystal in foreign operations, with or without the Star of David within the crystal, depending on the situation. The rules of the Third Additional Protocol allow Magen David Adom to continue using the Red Star of David within Israel's borders.

Despite the previous restrictions, Magen David Adom has enjoyed a high profile within the Movement for many years and is involved in a wide range of international activities in cooperation with the ICRC and the International Federation.

Non-recognised marks of national societies

In addition to the symbols already mentioned, a variety of National Society symbols have been proposed throughout Red Cross history:

• Afghanistan: Aid Society Mahrab-e-Ahmar (Red Arch)
• Cyprus: Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
• India: red wagon wheel; analogous to the wheel in the national flag of India
• Japan: aid society Hakuaisha, red dot and dash on top of each other
• Lebanon: red cedar; analogous to today's Lebanon cedar in the national flag of Lebanon.
• Sudan: red rhinoceros
• Sri Lanka: Society of the Shramadana: red swastika (proposed 1957); red lion carrying a sword (proposed 1965)
• Syria: red palm leaf
• Thailand: Sabha Unalome Deng; Society of the Red Flame (1899 and 1906) requested
• Soviet Union: Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Zaire: Red Lamb Society of Central Congo.

All the societies indicated have subsequently submitted to the conditions of recognition of the Red Cross and have chosen one of the internationally recognised symbols as their distinguishing mark.

Uniform symbol for the entire movement

In April 2016, the ICRC announced that it had developed a single logo for the entire Red Cross Movement. It consists of the two protective symbols Red Cross and Red Crescent surrounded by a three-quarter circle with the inscription "INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT". Other inscriptions in the languages of the movement (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) were also adopted. This uniform logo is to be used in joint appeals or similar by the ICRC, Federation and National Societies, for example in appeals for donations for humanitarian crises, campaigns or global interest.

The sign of the Third Additional Protocol, also known as the "red crystal


International Symbol: The Red Shield of David within the Red Crystal...


National emblem of the Israeli Magen David Adom ("Red Shield of David")


Red Crescent


Red lion with red sun


Red Cross


Protection sign on a TPz Fuchs during KFOR


World map showing the distribution of the various symbols of the ICRC Red Cross Red Crescent Red Star of David (international with Red Crystal) Red Cross without ICRC recognition Red Crescent without ICRC recognition