President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has by Proclamation declared May 1st through 31st, as Red Cross Month and May 8, 2016 as World “Red Cross Red Crescent Day” to be observed throughout Liberia as a Working Holiday.

The World Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has been committed to rendering relevant and timely services to distressed and needy people throughout the world in time of trouble, sickness, war, natural calamity, and other forms of disasters.

After 150 years of its birth, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement continues to provide humanitarian services to vulnerable communities and remains committed to doing so now and in the future.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Liberian National Red Cross Society will join the World Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to celebrate the month of May, 2016, under the theme: “Everywhere for everyone.”

President Sirleaf has directed that all civic and voluntary organizations and government agencies concerned, to fully participate in programs as planned by the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) to make the occasion meaningful and rewarding.

The events, which will focus on highlighting the universal presence and impact of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in humanitarian service will be held in Liberia’s 15 counties beginning with street parades, and climaxed by indoor programs, community services ranging from general clean-up exercises at public places and donation of relief materials to vulnerable institutions.

The Proclamation stresses that for more than 130 years, the devoted volunteers of the Liberian Red Cross have responded to challenges in the various counties, districts and communities with compassion and generosity and in times of disaster, they deliver humanitarian relief, save lives and offer hope for the brighter tomorrow, as their service has meant so much to many, and this month, we renew our sense of common purpose and honor all those whose sacrifices have made our society more prepared, resilient, and united.

It further emphasizes that in a fast changing world, young people will lead positive change as recent surveys indicate that half of the 17 million Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers in 190 countries are youth who are innovators embracing new ideas and technologies faster than any generation before them and thousands of them worldwide have been trained as peer educators in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

Everywhere around the world, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is there for everyone, with neutrality and impartiality to offer hope and support, thus acts as a force for positive change in communities when it is needed the most, and is present everywhere, providing support to the most vulnerable in all contexts from large scale disasters, challenging conflict situations, to remote and hard to reach areas where no other aid organizations have access to.