World Red Cross Red Crescent Day 2008

World Red Cross Red Crescent Day 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 millions of 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 186 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 to combat the humanitarian consequences of climate change. It underscores the importance of working together to achieve our Global Agenda goals and make vulnerable communities stronger and safer.

	World Red Cross Red Crescent Day: honouring the thousands of volunteers helping survivors in Myanmar Today, on World Red Cross Red Crescent day, thousands of Myanmar Red Cross volunteers are working around the clock to help people affected by the cyclone. The Red Cross and Red Crescent community commends their valiant efforts in the wake of such a terrible tragedy.
	Joint statement by the International Federation and the ICRC On May 8, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide will highlight the importance of working together to help the increasing number of people affected by a rising number of disasters, which is consistent with climate change predictions. There were 414 natural disasters recorded in 2007 – slightly higher than the yearly average of 395 between 2000 and 2006.
	Opinion piece: before disasters strike In the global debate on climate change, concern for tomorrow is overshadowing the escalating suffering of today. The plight of millions could be diminished dramatically, countless lives saved and huge economic losses lessened, if real commitments were made to reducing the risks people face today – before disasters strike.
	Case studies: the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement The challenges posed by climate change cannot be met by individual communities or humanitarian actors. Instead we need to forge new partnerships to better enable us to understand, identify and address them. These case studies highlight some of the partnerships - both internal and external - that the International Federation has forged to better address the humanitarian consequences of climate change.
	Photo gallery: the effects of climate change View a selection of photos showing the effects of climate change on people around the world.