Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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May 8, 2009

Red Cross Launches Campaign for Better World
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2420C50:A6F02AD83191E1602EBA6B79DB374ED8B3350E090FE6A6E8&
 
Organizers say every person can do something to alleviate suffering of
others, whether on local or global scale 
Indian Red Cross Society's Ahmedabad District Branch General Secretary
Mahesh Trivedi shows patients a picture of Red Cross founder Henry
Dunant on eve of International Red Cross Day, 07 May 2009The
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is launching a global
campaign to activate people to make the world a better place in which to
live. The organizers say every person can do something to alleviate the
suffering of others, whether on a local or global scale. The
International Red Cross says tens of millions of people are affected by
armed conflict, natural catastrophes, internal violence and climate
change. It notes the suffering of people crushed by disease,
displacement, grinding poverty and other misfortunes too often goes
unnoticed. It argues the importance of giving the victims of war and
disaster a stronger voice and says this is why the Red Cross is issuing
this call to action. The launch of the campaign, called "Our world, Your
move" coincides with the !
 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino, in Italy, which led to
the creation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Red Cross spokeswoman
Anna Nelson tells VOA the idea of the Red Cross movement was that of one
man, Henri Dunant, who happened across the battlefield, saw tens of
thousands of wounded men and decided to do something to help. "So, in
the spirit of that, we are also trying to show people that individuals
can make a big difference. So, in a sense, what we are doing is looking
at today's Solferino, today's battlefield, today's challenges. We are
saying that just like 150 years ago, one person can make a difference
and together we can actually make a move to make our world a better
place," she said. The Red Cross has established a Web portal where
people can interact, exchange ideas and suggestions for a better world.
The Red Cross Movement has a network of 60 million volunteers in 186
countries. It is these men and women who are usually the first to
respond to a natural disaster or help those caught in conflict. Nels
on says the volunteers on the front line offering help, very often are
themselves victims. She says help comes in many forms. It can involve
dispensing aid to millions of people displaced by the Darfur conflict in
Sudan or it can take the form of extending help to an elderly neighbor
who is unable to go shopping for food. Nelson says simple actions can go
a long way."Our message is you do not necessarily have to be a member of
the Red Cross. If you want to sign up and volunteer-great. But, you do
not necessarily have to. I think it is a question of being that little
bit more aware and thinking today of what small thing can I do to make a
difference. And, I think what people will find is that once you start to
understand that that feels good, that giving really does feel good -
that opens up a whole new range of horizons in terms of what you can do
to make the world a better place," said Nelson. Millions of campaign
enthusiasts in more than 80 countries are expected to turn out to
celebrate the launch of the campaign on May 8, which is also recognized
as World Red Cross Red Crescent Day. In addition, the International
Committee of the Red Cross will unveil a new traveling exhibit featuring
images from five of the world's leading war photographers. The exhibit
opens in New York, Geneva, and other major cities and will eventually
tour 40 countries.


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