Timeline of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

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This is a timeline of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, attempting to describe significant historical events in the evolution of the societies related to the movement.

Big picture

Time period Development summary
19th century Henry Dunant activism leads to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the 1860s. In the same decade, the First Geneva Convention and the First International Conference of the Red Cross are held. The first National Societies are formed in Europe.
20th century In 1906, the 1864 Geneva Convention is revised for the first time. In 1907, the Hague Convention X extends the scope of the Geneva Convention to naval warfare. By 1914 there are already 45 national relief societies throughout the world. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is founded in the aftermath of World War I which showed a need for close cooperation between Red Cross Societies.[1] The League Of Red Cross Societies is formed in 1919. The International Council is created in 1928.[2] The four Geneva Conventions of 1949, for the protection of war victims, to which 166 States are party, and their two Additional Protocols of 1977 explicitly establish the role of the ICRC as a neutral and impartial humanitarian intermediary.[3] The period of decolonization from 1960 to 1970 is marked by a huge jump in the number of recognized national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. In 1965, the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross are proclaimed. By the end of the 1960s, there are more than 100 societies around the world.
21st century As late as in the early 21st century, Switzerland joins the United Nations. In 2004 the IFRC conducts its largest mission to date after the tsunami disaster in South Asia. By 2019, the IFRC is composed of 191 National Societies And 13.7 Million Volunteers, operating through some 166,000 branches, and nearly 14 million volunteers.[4]


Full timeline

Year Month and date Event type Details Country
1859 Prelude The idea of a Red Cross society is born when Swiss businessman Henry Dunant comes upon the scene of a bloody Battle of Solferino, Italy, between the armies of imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian alliance. An estimated 40,000 dead or dying men on the battlefield are found among lacking medical attention.[5][6] Italy
1862 Publication Henry Dunant publishes book Un souvenir de Solférino (A Memory of Solferino). This publication would lead to the adoption of the first Geneva Convention in 1864, laying out rules to protect wounded soldiers and medics, and to the creation of relief societies in each country.[6] Switzerland
1863 February 17 Founding Inspired by Henry Dunant, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is founded in Geneva.[7][8] In honor of Dunant’s nationality, the Swiss flag in reverse (a red cross on a white background) is chosen as emblem.[9][10] Switzerland
1863 26–29 October Conference The constituent Conference giving birth to the Red Cross is held in Geneva with the purpose to establish procedures to improve medical services on the battlefield and create national societies to aid the sick and wounded.[11][8] Switzerland
1863 November 12 Organization The first National Society is formed in the Kingdom of Württemburg. The following year, National Societies are formed in the states of Baden, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Oldenburg, Prussia and Saxe, all states in current-day Germany. The organization would merge in 1921 as the German Red Cross. The East German Red Cross would function between 1952 and 1991.[8] Germany
1864 February 4 Organization The Belgian Red Cross is established.[8] Belgium
1864 March 2 Organization The Spanish Red Cross is established.[8] Spain
1864 May 25 Organization The French Red Cross is established.[12] France
1864 June 15 Organization The Italian Red Cross is established.[13] Italy
1864 August 22 Treaty The First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field is held in Geneva. Twelve states sign 10 articles forming the convention.[14] The agreement, advocated by Henri Dunant, calls for nonpartisan care to the sick and wounded in times of war and provides for the neutrality of medical personnel. It also proposes the use of an international emblem to mark medical personnel and supplies.[9][8] Switzerland
1865 February 11 Organization The Portuguese Red Cross is established.[8] Portugal
1865 May 25 Organization The Swedish Red Cross is established.[15][8] Sweden
1865 September 22 Organization The Norwegian Red Cross is established.[8] Norway
1866 July 17 Organization The Swiss Red Cross is established.[16][8] Switzerland
1867 Conference The First International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Paris. Nine governments, 16 National Committees and the International Committee attend the conference.[14][17] France
1867 May 3 Organization The Russian Red Cross Society is established.[8] Russia
1867 May 17 Organization The Austrian Red Cross is established.[8] Austria
1867 July 19 Organization The Netherlands Red Cross is established.[18] Netherlands
1868 June 11 Organization The Turkish Red Crescent is established.[19][8] Turkey
1869 Conference The Second International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Berlin.[14] The body created through one resolution leads to the creation of the Central Tracing Agency.[17] Germany
1870 August 4 Organization The British Red Cross is established as the National Aid Society. It would be renamed the British Red Cross in 1905.[20][8] United Kingdom
1875 April 22 Organization The Danish Red Cross is established.[8] Denmark
1875 November 29 Organization The Red Cross of Montenegro is established.[8] Montenegro
1876 – 1878 Symbol During the Russo-Turkish War, the Ottoman Empire declares that it would use the red crescent on a white background in place of the red cross. While respecting the red cross symbol, the Ottoman authorities believe that the red cross is offensive to Muslim soldiers. The red crescent is temporarily accepted for the duration of this conflict.[10]
1876 January 25 Organization The Red Cross of Serbia is established.[8] Serbia
1876 July 4 Organization The Romanian Red Cross is established.[21][8] Romania
1877 May 1 Organization The Japanese Red Cross Society is established.[22] Japan
1877 May 7 Organization The Finnish Red Cross is established.[23] Finland
1877 June Organization The Hellenic Red Cross is established.[24][8] Greece
1878 Organization The Croatian Red Cross is established within the Red Cross of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It would become independent since 10 October 1991.[8] Croatia
1879 Organization The Chilean Red Cross is established. It would be disbanded in 1891, and re-established in 1903.[8] Chile
1879 April 17 Organization The Peruvian Red Cross is established.[8] Peru
1877 Organization The Slovenian Red Cross is established as a part of the Austrian Red Cross. It would become independent since 26 January 1993.[8] Slovenia
1880 June 13 Organization The Argentine Red Cross is established.[8] Argentina
1881 May 16 Organization The Hungarian Red Cross is established.[8] Hungary
1881 May 21 Organization The American Red Cross is founded by Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons.[25][26][9] United States
1884 Conference The Third International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[14] Switzerland
1885 January 13 Organization The Bulgarian Red Cross is established.[8] Bulgaria
1885 March 13 Organization The Salvadorean Red Cross Society is established.[8] El Salvador
1885 April 4 Organization The Costa Rican Red Cross is established.[8] Costa Rica
1887 Conference The Fourth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Karlsruhe.[14] Germany
1888 December 31 Organization The Association Congolaise et Africaine is established. It would be recognized by the ICRC in 1889 but never part of the IFRC, ceasing to exist on 26 January 1909.[8] Belgian Congo
1892 Conference The Fifth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Rome.[14] Italy
1893 April 26 Organization The Thai Red Cross Society is established.[27] Thailand
1895 January 30 Organization The Venezuelan Red Cross is established.[8] Venezuela
1896 Organization The Canadian Red Cross is established.[28] Canada
1896 July 22 Organization The South African Red Cross Society is established as the Transvaal Red Cross. The Orange Free State Red Cross would be founded in 1899 and a British Red Cross branch would be founded in Cape Colony in 1900. All would merge into an independent organization on 21 May 1913.[8] South Africa
1896 October 10 Organization The Canadian Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent since 19 May 1909.[8] Canada
1896 Organization The Belarus Red Cross is established as the Grodno Province department of the Russian Red Cross. It would later become part of the Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from 1926, gaining independence on 26 March 1992.[8] Belarus
1897 March 5 Organization The Uruguayan Red Cross is established.[8] Uruguay
1897 Conference The Sixth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Vienna.[14] Austria
1899 May–July Treaty The First Hague Peace Conference is convened. It adopts a convention on land warfare to which regulations are annexed.[14][29] Netherlands
1899 Organization Magen David Adom is established in Israel.[30] Israel
1901 Recognition Henry Dunant is awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize.[9][31] Sweden
1902 Conference The Seventh International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Saint Petersburg.[32] Russia
1904 March 10 Organization The Red Cross Society of China is established.[33] China
1905 October 22 Organization The Republic of Korea National Red Cross is established. It would become a chapter of Japanese Red Cross after annexation in 1910. In South Korea, the Republic of Korea National Red Cross would function since 1947.[8] Korea
1906 Treaty The 1864 Geneva Convention is revised for the first time during a conference arranged by the Swiss Government.[34] Switzerland
1907 Conference The Eighth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in London.[32] United Kingdom
1907 June–October Treaty The Second Hague Peace Conference of 1907 is held in The Hague, extending the scope of the Geneva Convention to naval warfare.[35] Netherlands
1907 August 6 Organization The Mexican Red Cross is established.[8] Mexico
1908 December 5 Organization The Brazilian Red Cross is founded.[8] Brazil
1909 March 10 Organization The Cuban Red Cross is established.[8] Cuba
1912 October 24 Organization The Egyptian Red Crescent Society is established.[30] Egypt
1912 Conference The Ninth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Washington, D.C. It establishes the respective wartime responsibilities of the National Societies and the ICRC "in providing protection and assistance not only for the wounded and sick but also for prisoners of war".[17] United States
1914 August 13 Organization The Australian Red Cross is established.[36][30] Australia
1914 August 15 Organization Immediately after the start of the World War I, the ICRC esablishes its International Prisoners-of-War (POW) Agency.[37]
1914 August 8 Organization The Luxembourg Red Cross is established.[38] Luxembourg
1915 Organization The New Zealand Red Cross is established as part of the British Red Cross. It becomes independent on 22 December 1931.[39][30] New Zealand
1915 July 30 Organization The Colombian Red Cross is established.[40] Colombia
1915 August 8 Organization The Malagasy Red Cross Society is established.[30] Madagascar
1917 January 13 Organization Red Cross Society of Panama is established.[30] Panama
1917 Recognition The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Committee of the Red Cross, three years after the begining of World War I, during which there was no Nobel Peace Prize awarded.[41] It is the only Nobel Peace Prize awarded in the period from 1914 to 1918.[31] Sweden
1917 Organization The Bolivian Red Cross is established.[30] Bolivia
1918 April 18 Organization The Ukrainian Red Cross Society is established. It would be incorporated as Part of the Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from 1926, regaining independency on 28 October 1992.[30][42] Ukraine
1918 September 8 Organization The Red Cross Society of Georgia is established. It would be absorbed as part of the Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1926, regaining indepencence on 26 March 1992.[30] Georgia
1918 November 20 Organization The Latvian Red Cross is established.[43] Latvia
1919 January 12 Organization The Lithuanian Red Cross Society is established. It would be absorbed as part of the Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1940, later becoming independent.[30] Lithuania
1919 January 22 Organization The Liberian Red Cross Society is established.[30] Liberia
1919 February 6 Organization The Czech-Slovak Red Cross is established.[30] Czechoslovakia
1919 February 12 Organization The Estonia Red Cross is established. It would be absorbed as part of the Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from 1940; later becoming independent.[30] Estonia
1919 February 14 Organization The Slovak Red Cross is established. It would be reformed in 1939 and again in 1993.[30] Slovakia
1919 April 27 Organization The Polish Red Cross is established.[30] Poland
1919 May 5 Organization The League of Red Cross Societies is established in Paris. The Articles of Association are signed by the governors of the Red Cross Societies of France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. In June, the Covenant of the League of Nations is signed, with its own historic article containing an undertaking by member states to encourage and promote the formation of and cooperation between Red Cross Societies.[30] France
1919 November 12 Organization The Paraguayan Red Cross is established.[30] Paraguay
1919 Organization The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is founded in Paris in the aftermath of World War I.[5] France
1920 March 10 Organization The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society is established.[44] Azerbaijan
1920 March Organization The Indian Red Cross Society is established.[45] India
1920 March The First Meeting Of General Council Of The League Of Red Cross Societies is held.[4]
1921 October 4 Organization The Albanian Red Cross is established.[46] Albania
1921 Conference The Tenth International Conference is held in Geneva. A mandate results to the National Societies and to the ICRC to assist victims of civil war and internal disturbances.[17] Switzerland
1922 Organization The Iranian Red Crescent Society is established.[47] Iran
1922 Program The League of Red Cross Societies decides to focus its support to National Societies in three important fields: hygiene, nursing and youth.[4]
1923 Conference The Eleventh International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
1925 Conference The Twelfth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
1926 Organization The Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan is established.[48] Turkmenistan
1928 Conference The Thirteenth International Conference is held in The Hague. The " Statutes of the International Red Cross " is adopted, which provides the Movement with a structural, operational and legal framework.[17] Netherlands
1928 Organization The International Council is created to coordinate cooperation between the ICRC and the League of Red Cross Societies.[2]
1929 July 27 Treaty The Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Geneva July 27, 1929 is adopted. The Convention does not replace but only completes the provisions of the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907. It is the predecessor of the Third Geneva Convention signed in 1949.[49]
1930 Conference The Fourteenth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Brussels.[32] Belgium
1932 April 1 Organization The Iraqi Red Crescent Society is established.[50] Iraq
1932 May 12 Organization The Haiti Red Cross Society is established.[30] Haiti
1934 January 10 Organization The Nicaraguan Red Cross is established.[30] Nicaragua
1934 April 4 Organization The Afghan Red Crescent Society is established.[51] Afghanistan
1934 Conference The Fifteenth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Tokyo.[32] Japan
1935 Organization The Ethiopian Red Cross Society is established.[30] Ethiopia
1936 Organization The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent since 1 April 1949.[52] Sri Lanka
1937 April 1 Organization The Myanmar Red Cross Society is established.[30] Myanmar
1937 September 24 Organization The Honduran Red Cross is established.[52] Honduras
1937 Organization The Sierra Leone Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent since 16 August 1962.[52] Sierra Leone
1938 Conference The Sixteenth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in London. A convening of a Diplomatic Conference to draw up a new Geneva Convention affording better protection to civilian victims of war is requested.[17] United Kingdom
1938 Organization The Kazakh Red Crescent is established as part of Soviet Alliance of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It would become independent on 26 March 1992.[52] Kazakhistan
1939 June 16 Organization The Mongolian Red Cross Society is established.[52][53][54] Mongolia
1939 July 6 Organization The Irish Red Cross is established.[52] Ireland
1939 Organization The Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society is established as part of the Australian Red Cross. It would become independent on 7 April 1976.[52] Papua New Guinea
1939 July 12 Organization The Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent on 5 May 1963.[55] Trinidad and Tobago
1939 Organization The The Bahamas Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent on 23 June 1975.[52] Bahamas
1939 The League of Red Cross Societies moves headquarters from Paris to Geneva at outbreak of World War Two.[2] Switzerland
1940 June 20 Organization The Suriname Red Cross is established as part of the Netherlands Red Cross. It would become independent on 1975.[52] Suriname
1941 January The American Red Cross is requested by the United States Government to begin a blood-donor program to provide ready and ample supplies of blood plasma and serum albumin for transfusions for wounded soldiers. More than 13 million donations are collected.[56] United States
1941 Organization The Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent on 22 July 1983.[52] Antigua and Barbuda
1941 Organization The Uganda Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent on 30 July 1964.[52] Uganda
1941 Organization The Mauritius Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross. It would become independent on 18 December 1973.[52] Mauritius
1942 Organization The Nigerian Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 29 September 1960.[52][57] Nigeria
1942 February 22 Organization The Saint Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 24 July 1985.[52] Saint Kitts and Nevis
1942 May 30 Organization The Syrian Arab Red Crescent is established.[52] Syria
1942 The Red Cross reveals that Japan has refused free passage of ships carrying food, medicine, and other necessities for American prisoners of war held by Japan.[56] Japan
1943 The Nazi Schutzstaffel arranges Theresienstadt concentration camp as a "model ghetto" for fooling Red Cross representatives about the ongoing Holocaust and the Nazi plan to murder all Jews. The Nazified German Red Cross visit the ghetto and file the only accurate report on the ghetto, describing overcrowding and undernourishment. Czechia
1944 Recognition The International Committee of the Red Cross is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the second time.[31] Sweden
1945 March 17 Organization The Red Cross of Macedonia is established as part of the Yugoslav Red Cross. gaining independent on 21 May 1992.[52] North Macedonia
1945 April 30 Organization The Liechtenstein Red Cross is established.[52] Lichtenstein
1945 July 9 Organization The Lebanese Red Cross is established.[58] Lebanon
1945 September 17 Organization The Indonesian Red Cross Society is established as the Netherlands Red Cross Indonesia Section, gaining independence on 16 January 1950.[52][59] Indonesia
1946 October 18 Organization The Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is established.[52] North Korea
1946 November 23 Organization The Vietnam Red Cross Society is established.[52] Vietnam
1947 January 13 Organization The Philippine Red Cross is established.[52][60] Philippines
1947 December 20 Organization The Pakistan Red Crescent Society is established.[52] Pakistan
1947 December 27 Organization The Jordan National Red Crescent Society is established.[52] Jordan
1948 Organization The Botswana Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 17 January 1968.[52] Botswana
1948 March 3 Organization The Red Cross of Monaco is established.[61] Monaco
1948 Organization The Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 1 August 1983.[52] Brunei
1948 Organization The Gambia Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 1 October 1966.[61] Gambia
1948 Conference The Seventeenth International Conference is held in Stockholm, the first after the Second World War. The representatives of 50 governments, 52 National Societies and the then League (today International Federation) endorse the ICRC's proposals for the revision of the three existing Geneva Conventions and the adoption of a fourth Convention, this last for the protection of civilians in wartime. The four Conventions would be adopted the following year.[17] Sweden
1948 Organization The Malaysian Red Crescent Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 22 November 1957.[52][62] Malaysia
1948 Organization The Guyana Red Cross Societ is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 29 December 1967.[52] Guyana
1948 Organization The Jamaica Red Cross is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independece on 9 July 1964.[61] Jamaica
1948–1950 Program The League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS), at the request of the United Nations, launches the first relief operation setting up and running refugee camps for Palestinians, in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan
1949 March 16 Organization The Saint Lucia Red Cross is established.[61] Saint Lucia
1949 August 12 Treaty The Second, Third and Fourth Geneva Convention are adopted. The Second Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea" protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war.[63][64] The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, precisely defines the conditions and places of captivity, particularly with regard to the labour of prisoners of war, their financial resources, the relief they receive, and the judicial proceedings instituted against them.[64] The Third Geneva Convention replaces the 1929 Geneva Convention that deals with prisoners of war.[65] The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (Fourth Geneva Convention) affords protection to civilians, including in occupied territory. It is composed of 159 articles, and contains a short section concerning the general protection of populations against certain consequences of war. While the first three conventions deal with combatants, the Fourth Geneva Convention is the first to deal with humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone.[6][64][66] Switzerland
1949 Organization The Zambia Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 22 April 1966.[61][67] Zambia
1949 Organization The Tanzania Red Cross National Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 7 December 1962.[61] Tanzania
1949 September 30 Organization The Singapore Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 6 April 1973.[61] Singapore
1949 July 15 Organization The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross is established as part of the British Red Cross committee, gaining independence on 15 May 1984.[61] Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1949 October 8 Organization The Red Cross of the Republic of San Marino is established.[61] San Marino
1950 Organization The Belize Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 18 August 1983.[61] Belize
1950 Organization The Cyprus Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 1 November 1969, and recognition by the ICRC on 23 February 2012.[61] Cyprus
1950 Organization The Lesotho Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 17 November 1967.[61] Lesotho
1950 July 12 Organization The Hong Kong Red Cross is established as a branch of the British Red Cross. On 1 July 1997, upon the return of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China, the HKRC would change its affiliation to become a highly autonomous branch of the Red Cross Society of China.[68] Hong Kong
1951 October 27 Organization The Republic of Vietnam Red Cross is established.[61] Vietnam
1951 Organization The Solomon Islands Red Cross is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 15 July 1983.[61] Solomon Islands
1952 Organization The Burkinabe Red Cross Society is established as part of the French Red Cross, gaining independence on 31 July 1961.[61] Burkina Faso
1952 July–August Conference The Eighteenth International Conference is held in Toronto. It revises the " Statutes of the International Red Cross".[17] Canada
1952 October 23 Organization The German Red Cross (East Germany) is established, reuniting with the German Red Cross on 3 January 1991.[61] Germany
1952 Organization The Malta Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 24 October 1991.[61] Malta
1952 Organization The Samoa Red Cross Society is established as part of the New Zealand Red Cross, gaining independence on 1 January 1983.[61] Samoa
1954 Organization The Fiji Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 27 September 1971.[61] Fiji
1954 Organization The Somali Red Crescent Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 27 April 1963.[61] Somalia
1955 January 1 Organization The Lao Red Cross Society is established.[61] Lao
1955 February 18 Organization The Cambodian Red Cross is established.[61] Cambodia
1955 Organization The Grenada Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 21 August 1981.[61] Grenada
1956 January 11 Organization The Algerian Red Crescent Society is established.[61][69] Algeria
1956 Organization The Tunisian Red Crescent is established.[61] Tunisia
1956 October 30 Organization The Sudanese Red Crescent is established.[61] Sudan
1957 October–November Conference The Nineteenth Conference of the Red Cross is held in New Delhi.[11] India
1957 October 1 Organization The Ghana Red Cross Society is established.[61][70] Ghana
1957 October 5 Organization The Libyan Red Crescent is established.[61] Libya
1957 December 24 Organization The Moroccan Red Crescent is established.[61] Morocco
1958 January 28 Organization The Dominica Red Cross Society is established.[61] Dominica
1958 Organization The Yemen Red Crescent Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 16 July 1970.[61] Yemen
1959 February 26 Organization The Togolese Red Cross is established.[71][61] Togo
1959 July Organization The Red Cross of Benin is established.[61] Benin
1960 February 17 Organization The Barbados Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 31 July 1969.[61] Barbados
1960 April 30 Organization The Cameroon Red Cross Society is established.[72] Cameroon
1960 October 30 Organization The Red Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire is established.[72] Côte d’Ivoire
1961 Organization The Tonga Red Cross Society is established.[72] Tonga
1962 July Organization The Rwandan Red Cross is established.[72] Rwanda
1963 Organization The International Committee of the Red Cross is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the third time.[31] Sweden
1963 January 29 Organization The Senegalese Red Cross Society is established.[72] Senegal
1963 The League of Red Cross Societies launches a mass development program, involving countries recently-independent or about to gain independence, in the Caribbean and Africa.[2] Caribbean, Africa
1963 June 8 Organization The Saudi Red Crescent Authority is established.[72][73] Saudi Arabia
1963 July 16 Organization The Red Cross Society of Niger is established.[72] Niger
1963 July 31 Organization The Burundi Red Cross is established.[72] Burundi
1963 September 4 Organization The Nepal Red Cross Society is established.[72] Nepal
1963 Organization The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is established.[74] Congo DR
1964 Organization The Uganda Red Cross Society is established.[75] Uganda
1964 February 22 Organization The Congolese Red Cross (Brazzaville) is established.[72] Republic of the Congo
1965 Organization The Kiribati Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 12 December 1989.[72] Kiribati
1965 Organization The Kenya Red Cross Society is established.[76] Kenya
1965 Renaming The League of Red Cross Societies is renamed to the "League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies" to reflect the growing number of national societies operating under the Red Crescent symbol.[4]
1965 August 24 Organization The Mali Red Cross is established.[72] Mali
1965 Conference The Twentieth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Vienna. Seven basic principles are adopted, which should be shared by all parts of the Movement.[17] Austria
1965 The Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross are proclaimed in Vienna: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, Universality. The principles would be incorporated in 1986 into the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.[2][77] Austria
1966 January 10 Organization The Kuwait Red Crescent Society is established.[78] Kuwait
1966 October 25 Organization The Central African Red Cross Society is established.[72] Central African Republic
1967 January 13 Organization The Malawi Red Cross Society is established.[30] Malawi
1968 December 26 Organization The Palestine Red Crescent Society is established.[79][72] Palestine
1969 Conference The Twenty-first International Conference is held in Istanbul. The "Principles and Rules for Red Cross Disaster Relief" are adopted. Also, a mandate is introduced to begin drafting new instruments to adapt humanitarian law to new forms of armed conflict.[17] Turkey
1970 January 28 Organization The Bahrain Red Crescent Society is established.[72] Bahrain
1970 October 13 Organization The Baphalali Swaziland Red Cross Society is established.[80] Swaziland
1970 September 22 Organization The Mauritanian Red Crescent is established.[72] Mauritania
1970 Organization The Red Cross of Chad is established as a provisional committee, being granted legal status in 1972 and becoming a National Society on 1 June 1983.[72] Chad
1972 Reform Canadian civil servant Donald Tansley is appointed to lead study into future role and other aspects of the Red Cross.[2]
1973 March 31 Organization The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is established.[81][82] Bangladesh
1973 Conference The Twenty-second International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Teheran. The ICRC presents two draft protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions.[17] Iran
1975 July 19 Organization The Red Cross of Cape Verde is established.[82] Cape Verde
1975 Conference The First World Red Cross Conference on Peace is held in Belgrade.[2] Yugoslavia
1975 Reform The "Tansley Report" is published. It defines basic role of Red Cross as "provision of emergency help, on an unconditional and impartial basis, whenever and wherever human needs for protection and assistance exist because of natural disaster and conflict".[2]
1976 January 20 Organization The Sao Tome and Principe Red Cross is established.[82][83] São Tomé and Príncipe
1977 Organization The Tuvalu Red Cross Society is established as part of the British Red Cross, gaining independence on 1 May 1981.[82] Tuvalu
1977 August 1 Organization The Red Crescent Society of Djibouti is established.[82] Djibouti
1977 Conference The Twenty-third International Conference is held in Bucharest. Measures to expedite international relief are adopted.[17] Romania
1977 December 2 Organization Red Cross Society of Guinea-Bissau is established.[82] Guinea-Bissau
1978 Organization The Qatar Red Crescent Society is established.[82] Qatar
1978 March 16 Organization The Angola Red Cross are formed.[82] Angola
1980 December 20 Organization The Andorran Red Cross is established.[82] Andorra
1981 Organization The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is established.[84] Zimbabwe
1981 July 10 Organization The Mozambique Red Cross Society is established.[82] Mozambique
1981 Conference The Twenty-fourth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Manila.[32] Philippines
1982 June Organization The The Comoros Red Crescent is established.[82] Comoros
1983 January 31 Organization The Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates is established.[82] United Arab Emirates
1983 Renaming The League of Red Cross Societies is renamed League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on 11 October 1983.[82][5]
1984 January 26 Organization The Red Cross Society of Guinea is established. It would be renamed Red Cross of Equatorial Guinea on 16 October 1985.[82] Equatorial Guinea
1986 Conference The Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva, amidst a deteriorating socio-political situation worldwide. The Conference adopts the revised "Statutes of the International Red Cross ", which become the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.[17] Switzerland
1989 Organization The Seychelles Red Cross Society is established.[30] Seychelles
1989 May 5 Organization The Cook Islands Red Cross Society is established.[82] Cook Isands
1989 Growth With an average of 590 delegates working in 48 delegations, ICRC is active in nearly 90 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East providing protection and assistance to the victims of armed conflicts.[3]
1990 October 16 The United Nations General Assembly decides to invite the ICRC to take part in its proceedings as an observer. A resolution to this effect, which is sponsored by 138 United Nations members, is adopted without a vote.[3]
1991 Organization The Red Cross Society of Eritrea is established.[82] Eritrea
1991 November 27 Renaming The League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is renamed International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.[5][82]
1992 February 8 Organization The Namibia Red Cross Society is established.[82] Namibia
1992 December Policy Non-Swiss individuals are allowed to serve as ICRC delegates abroad, a task which was previously restricted to Swiss citizens.[85]
1993 June 5 Organization The Czech Red Cross is established.[82] Czechia
1995 January 1 Staff The ICRC has twenty-two members, all of whom are Swiss.[86]
1995 June 2 Organization The Palau Red Cross Society is established.[87] Palau
1995 July 12 Conference The Twenty-sixth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva. It focuses on practical measures to enhance respect for international humanitarian law with special attention to the needs of the civilian population and the most vulnerable groups such as children and women.[17] Switzerland
1996 July 3 Organization The Gabonese Red Cross Society is established.[87] Gabon
1997 Treaty The ICRC and the IFRC sign the Seville Agreement which provides a framework for effective cooperation and partnership between members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.[88]
1998 January 31 Organization The Micronesia Red Cross is established.[87] Micronesia
1999 Conference The Twenty-seventh International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
1999 Program The 1999 International Conference asks the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to study “humanitarian impacts of climate change.”[4]
2000 Organization The Timor-Leste Red Cross Society is established.[87] East Timor
2001 Organization The Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina is established.[30] Bosnia and Herzegovina
2002 Background Switzerland joins the United Nations.[85] Switzerland
2003 Conference The Twenty-eighth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
2004 The IFRC begins huge campaign, its largest mission to date after the tsunami disaster in South Asia, raising more than 3.1 billion Swiss Francs for the relief and recovery operation.[89]
2006 Conference The Twenty-ninth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva. It amends the statutes of the Movement to take into account the creation of the new emblem.[10] Switzerland
2007 Conference The Thirtieth International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
2009 August 16 Organization The Maldivian Red Crescent is established.[90][87] Maldives
2011 July 9 Organization The South Sudan Red Cross Society is established.[87] South Sudan
2011 Conference The Thirty-first International Conference of the Red Cross is held in Geneva.[32] Switzerland
2013 Study According to the IFRC’s World Disasters Report for the year, which focuses on technology and humanitarian action, the communications revolution is having a profound impact on the way people respond to emergencies.[72]
2015 Financial The overall budget of the ICRC for the year stands at US$ 1.85 billion.[91]

Numerical and visual data

Google Scholar

The following table summarizes per-year mentions on Google Scholar as of December 18, 2021.

Year "Red Cross"
1900 315
1910 291
1920 1,330
1930 491
1940 670
1950 987
1960 1,030
1970 1,600
1980 2,810
1990 5,060
2000 10,100
2010 24,000
2020 24,400
Red cross gscho.png

Google Trends

The comparative chart below shows Google Trends data for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Humanitarian aid organization) and International Red Cross (Search Term) from January 2004 to February 2021, when the screenshot was taken. Interest is also ranked by country and displayed on world map.[92]

International Red Cross gt.png

Google Ngram Viewer

The chart below shows Google Ngram Viewer data for International Red Cross adoption from 1863 to 2019.[93]

International Red Cross ngram.png

Wikipedia Views

The chart below shows pageviews of the English Wikipedia article International Red Cross on desktop from December 2007, and on mobile-web, desktop-spider,mobile-web-spider and mobile app, from July 2015; to January 2021.[94]

International Red Cross wv.png

Meta information on the timeline

How the timeline was built

The initial version of the timeline was written by User:Sebastian.

Funding information for this timeline is available.

Feedback and comments

Feedback for the timeline can be provided at the following places:

  • FIXME

What the timeline is still missing

Timeline update strategy

See also

External links

References

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