Joint message for May 8 - from the Presidents of the International Federation and the ICRC
8 May 2002

Today, we mark World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day; a time to remember and a time to reflect.

We remember the achievements of the past year. The ability to provide relief to the most vulnerable in every corner of the world through our volunteers and members, to provide comfort and aid during natural disasters or during times of war. But we remember not just the major events. We remember the little things we do every day: helping the elderly, teaching first aid, providing vaccinations, reaching out to the marginalized and reuniting separated families. We are an humanitarian network, made up of ordinary people who do extraordinary work.

We need to reflect, to spend some time thinking about what still needs to be done. There are many who without the support of the Movement would not have shelter or a meal. There are others who are innocently caught in the crossfire of conflict who look to us for help, and for whom the fundamental principles underlying the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols should be fully respected.

Our volunteers and staff have been to the forefront in assisting the vulnerable in the remotest corners of the planet as well as in the midst of crowded cities.

But there is always more to do. We must do the utmost to prevent conflicts and to fight poverty and injustice. We must continue to seek that International Humanitarian Law is known and applied, regardless of what designation a particular situation may give rise to.

This year the voices of our 97 million volunteers and members will unite to halt stigma and discrimination, particularly as it affects people with AIDS and their families. Our message is "Take a look. Stigma Kills". As we try to protect and cherish life, each and every one of us must dismantle the barriers caused by stigma, break down the barriers in the mind and reach towards a more tolerant tomorrow.

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

Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer, Federation - Tel: + 41 22 730 4346 / + 41 79 217 33 45
Darcy Christen, Deputy Head, Media Service, ICRC - Tel: + 41 79 217 3231

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 178 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.