The emblems: in the service of conflict and disaster victims for over 140 years

30-06-2006 Photo Collection

The red cross and red crescent emblems are visible symbols of the protection afforded to war victims under the Geneva Conventions. They also stand for the neutrality of those who use them and indicate membership in the Movement. To resolve certain problems, an additional emblem known as the red crystal, has been adopted by a diplomatic conference in December 2005 in Geneva.

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A delegate from the International Federation providing psychological support for a woman who lost her home during the earthquake that devastated parts of Algeria in 2003 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies uses as its logo the red cross and the red crescent emblems together. Having started out as the League of Red Cross Societies in 1919, the organization changed its name to International Federation in 1983. That was when it began to use the “double emblem.” The change of name was formally adopted in an amendment to the Federation's Constitution in 1991. Today, the Federation has more than 180 members that cooperate in a range of areas, including disaster preparedness and response.

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