Lesson 1/34 min
Service and voluntary organisations
Main organisations at a glance
| Organisation | Founded | Founder / headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| ICRC (Red Cross) | 17 February 1863 | Henry Dunant (Switzerland); Geneva |
| Rotary International | 23 February 1905 | Paul P. Harris (US), Chicago; headquarters Evanston |
| Lions Club | 1917 | Melvin Jones (US) |
| Oxfam | 5 October 1942 | A British charity; first in Britain, now Nairobi (Kenya) |
| CARE | 1945 | US-based |
| Orbis | 1982 | Flying eye hospital; New York |
| Amnesty International | 1961 | Peter Benenson (England); London |
The Red Cross
- Serves suffering humanity worldwide; its emblem is a red cross
- Red Cross Day is 8 May (Dunant's birthday)
- In the Muslim world the emblem is the Red Crescent
- A third emblem, the 'Red Crystal', was recognised in 2005
- Nobel Peace Prize: Dunant in 1901 (the first ever); the ICRC in 1917, 1944 and 1963
More on the others
- Rotary members are called Rotarians; a service club of business and professional people
- In 1971 Oxfam helped restore the transport system wrecked in the Liberation War
- CARE once stood for Co-operative for American Remittances to Europe; it now stands for Co-operation for Assistance and Relief Everywhere
- Amnesty is a human-rights body; Nobel Peace Prize in 1977
- Amnesty's seventh secretary-general was the Bangladeshi Irene Khan (Irene Zubaida Khan)
Watch out: One source names Peter Maurer as ICRC president; the post has since changed. Check the current head and the number of national societies before an exam.
Check yourself
When was the Red Cross founded?
At a glance
- 1
The Red Cross was founded on 17 February 1863 by Henry Dunant; headquarters Geneva.
- 2
Red Cross Day is 8 May; Dunant won the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.
- 3
Rotary International was founded on 23 February 1905 (founder Paul P. Harris).
- 4
The Lions Club was founded by Melvin Jones (1917); Oxfam began in Britain in 1942.
- 5
Amnesty International is headquartered in London and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.