Red Cross Red Crescent salutes volunteers as International Year ends
5 December 2001

The first ever UN International Year of Volunteers ends today December 5 with a commitment from the world's largest volunteer-based humanitarian network to provide more opportunities for volunteers in the Red Cross and Red Crescent , which has some 20 million active volunteers worldwide.

"Volunteers are our life blood. They are the moral and physical basis for our existence as the world's largest humanitarian organization", said Didier Cherpitel, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which has 178 volunteer-based national members. "Without them, National Societies cannot effectively implement assistance programmes and bring help to the most vulnerable."

Among the concrete steps being taken by the Red Cross Red Crescent to strengthen its volunteer base are the establishment of regional networks to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, ideas and experience about better management of volunteers; a volunteer policy implementation guide will be published; and a legal committee on volunteering issues has been set up.

"We must find better ways of retaining our volunteers, of making their tasks more rewarding and of offering them a better future by helping them develop skills which they can use throughout their lives", underlined Matthias Schmale, Head of Institutional Development at the Federation Secretariat.

In a statement sent to all National Societies, Federation President Juan Manuel Suárez del Toro paid tribute to all Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers. He pointed out that the year 2001 marks the centenary of the first Nobel Peace Prize, co-awarded to Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross Movement. "It was from his idea of recruiting and training volunteers to serve the vulnerable that the whole International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement grew. In his name, we thank you all."

The International Federation is also in discussion with several other large volunteer-related organizations on a coalition project to encourage governments to support better conditions for volunteering in their respective countries. Mr. Cherpitel recalled that government representatives had committed themselves to "review, and where necessary, introduce or update legislation so as to facilitate the efficient work of relevant voluntary organisations" in the Plan of Action from the 27th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent two years ago.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Denis McClean, Head, Media Service Tel.: +41 22 730 4428 / + 41 79 217 3357

Marie-Francoise Borel, Information Officer Tel.: +41 22 730 4346 / +41 79 416 3881

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.