World Red Cross Red Crescent Day 2007

World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is celebrated across the globe on 8 May each year. The date marks the anniversary of the birth of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross, and the occasion offers an opportunity for the members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to pay tribute to the tremendous, life-saving work that is carried out by its dedicated staff and volunteers worldwide each day.

It is also a chance for the different partners in the Movement - the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the 185 National Societies - to reflect on the humanitarian ideals of protecting human dignity and providing impartial assistance to people in need, wherever they may be.

The theme of this year's World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is together for humanity. It underscores the importance of working together to achieve our Global Agenda goals and make vulnerable communities stronger and safer.

	Partnerships crucial to meet humanitarian challenges This year’s World Red Cross Red Crescent Day underscores the importance and power of partnerships by stressing the need for stronger local and global alliances in order to meet today’s growing humanitarian challenges.
	Joint statement According to the presidents of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, it will take solid coordination and better partnerships at all levels, including governments, donors, humanitarian agencies, the private sector and individuals, in order to reduce the impact of wars, disasters and disease, while making vulnerable communities stronger and safer.
	Web stories Cooperation is one of the cornerstones of the Red Cross and Red Crescent's work. Whether its a team of volunteers distributing blankets to flood victims in Burundi or a group of National Societies combating youth gang violence in Latin America, the Red Cross and Red Crescent knows that working together is key to protecting and saving lives.
	Case studies The International Federation maintains solid partnerships with a wide variety of other organizations, universities, networks, governments, and businesses in order to ensure the effectiveness of its humanitarian activities. These case studies offer examples of how the International Federation and its members are working together, and with others, around the world - from training volunteers in Iraq to improving early warning systems in Jamaica.
	Photo gallery View a selection of photos featuring the International Federation's partners and humanitarians in action. These images illustrate why cooperation is so important.