AGARTALA, May 7 (TIWN): State gears up to celebrate World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on May 8th. To mark the occasion, several programmes had been arranged by Red Cross Society in Tripura. As a part of the programme, on Thursday, a blood donation camp was also organized where Swami Hitakananda Maharaj was present as Guest of Honour.

Red Cross, the largest international voluntary service organization has been rendering humanitarian services around the globe since long. World Red Cross Day is observed on May 08 to pay homage to the founder of the Red Cross movement, Nobel Laureate Jean Henry Dunant. The institution was born in 1863 out of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield and makes sincere efforts in its international and national capacities to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

In India, Red Cross came into existence with legislation, India Red Cross Society Act, 1920. Speaking about the activities of Red Cross Society in the state, In this far-flung state of Tripura, the State Branch of Red Cross has been doing extremely well in preventing and alleviating the suffering of the people in spite of financial and manpower problems.

World Red Cross Day is an international day that is dedicated to alleviating human suffering, upholding human dignity, protecting life, and preventing emergencies and natural disasters such as flood, epidemics, and earthquakes. The fundamental principles recognized during World Red Cross Day are impartiality, humanity, independence, neutrality, voluntary, universality, and unity. All components of Red Cross organizations uphold and respect these principles

 Every year 8th May is celebrated as World Red Cross Day to honor the International Red Cross Crescent Movement founder Henry Dunant, who was born on this day in 1828. National Societies that are affiliates to ICRC celebrates the World Red Cross Day in their countries to raise the need of protecting life.