World First Aid Day

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) introduced World First Aid Day (WFAD) in 2000. Each year, more than 100 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world organize events and ceremonies on the second Saturday of September to raise public awareness of how first aid can save lives in everyday and crisis situations.

The event, held on 13 September, was an opportunity for citizens to learn vital skills that enable them to provide first aid if and when required. As part of WFAD 2008 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies organized different activities in order to raise public awareness on first aid and injury prevention.

The theme for World First Aid Day 2008 (WFAD) was “First Aid for Life” and aimed to promote the following key messages:
• The International Federation believes that everyone has the potential to learn first aid and save lives;
• First aid is an act of humanity showing willingness to save lives with full respect for diversity and without discrimination;
• First aid skills and knowledge need to be updated and refreshed throughout one’s life;
• We should celebrate the numbers of lives saved both by first aid volunteers and by laypersons trained in first aid.

International Federation is committed to scaling up its first aid programmes and continue to improve their quality. This is stated in its revised First Aid Policy of October 2007. More and more people and volunteers should have the capacity to provide quality first aid community-based services.

Read more:

World First Aid Day 2008 – From Solferino to ‘first aid for all’

World First Aid Day 2008 report (355 kb, 11 pages)

World First Aid Day 2007 – International Federation commits to scaling up first aid programmes across the world