On May 8, the world celebrates.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day honors the Red Cross, a company that provides for people in need or “an international humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of war or natural disaster” (Encyclopedia.com).

The Red Cross helps with providing things such as food, water, clothing, and shelter to those in need, often after their world has been almost turned upside down. It has been doing this for over a century and a half.

The Red Cross was founded in Switzerland in 1863 and set up a year later, according to www.history.com. The founder of the movement was Henry Dunant, and his birthday was May 8. The American Red Cross is a spin-off of the original, developed by Clara Barton. In 1906, Muslim countries developed the Red Crescent to represent their religious heritage.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is committed to raising awareness of the organizations and sharing an understanding of how they work. While World Red Cross Day was first celebrated in 1948, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day has been celebrated since 1984.