The American Red Cross is a part of the International Red Cross movement. There are Red Cross societies in nearly every nation on earth. All Red Cross societies adhere to the seven fundamental principals of the Red Cross movement. They are:
- Humanity—We protect life and health and prevent and alleviate human suffering worldwide.
- Impartiality—We provide disaster relief based on emergency-caused physical and mental health needs without regard to economic status, or race, sex, religion, ethnicity, national origin, political beliefs or other affiliation.
- Neutrality—We provide services without taking sides in hostilities or engaging in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
- Independence—We maintain autonomy from the government in order to provide services in accordance with these seven Fundamental Principles, while also acting as auxiliaries to the government in humanitarian services and adhering to the laws of the United States.
- Voluntary Service—We provide services voluntarily and are not prompted by personal gain.
- Unity—Only one national society exists in each country (the American Red Cross in the US).
- Universality—All societies of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other worldwide.
If you are a refugee or have relatives in need overseas, the American Red Cross may be able to provide:
- International tracing services designed to locate missing relatives and reunite families separated by war.
- Communication with relatives and friends confined to refugee camps or who are prisoners of war.
- Information on International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions.
The American Red Cross realizes that questions can arise regarding the role of the American Red Cross when the United States is involved in a war or military conflict. We have provided the following information for your convenience.
> The Red Cross Role in War
> Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
> American Red Cross (National Website): www.redcross.org/services/intl/
> International
Committee of the Red Cross: www.icrc.org
For more information on International Services, please call (865)
584-2999 or e-mail afes@knoxarc.org.
