Working with the International Red Cross

When the Red Cross was established setting out the principles on which it was to function, the international character of the organization and the obligation of its members to cooperate, to help one another and to provide assistance to any part of the world may have seemed, under the prevailing circumstances, an unattainable ambition.

Today, however, the technological and communication developments have made distances shrink, the world has become a small village and the international Red Cross family with its 186 member-national societies in 186 countries has become a tangible reality.

Like any other national society, the CRC  always strives, in the above context and being aware of the need to carry out its mandate on the basis of reciprocity and solidarity, to work closely  both with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, as well as with the other National Red Cross Societies, especially those of European countries.

This cooperation allows the CRC to carry on significant international activity, which in time of peace focuses on issues of mutual exchange of information, coordination, planning, training, enlightenment etc, while in time of crisis it is only natural that the cooperation becomes closer and concentrates on providing humanitarian, financial and other assistance, according to the needs.

The strategic geographical position of Cyprus often enables it to play an important coordinating and transit role, as it happened in the 2006 Lebanese crisis, always in cooperation with all the other countries and organizations involved, in cases of natural disasters or conflicts in the area. On the other hand, the enhanced sensitivity, the humanity and the social solidarity feeling of its people, allow Cyprus to be present with its humanitarian contribution anywhere in the world.