Solidarity and a sense of responsibility rather than charity work
Besides being an opportunity to express our gratitude, 8 May is a day to reflect on the significance of voluntary service in civil society today. Many people have an outdated perception of volunteer work, associating it with the nineteenth-century ideal of charitable deeds done by the haves for the have-nots. They view with reserve that concept of giving of oneself which places people on different social levels and is ultimately gratifying for the person whose conscience is thus eased. But things are completely different today. Let there be no misunderstanding: the point is not to question the altruism of yesterday’s society, which served to alleviate so much suffering. The point is to heighten awareness that the modern concept of voluntary service signifies not just charity, but solidarity, perhaps even responsibility, the duty to be concerned about whether the dignity of others is being respected. “To make the entire world our concern, from our neighbours to our most distant fellow men”, wrote a Red Cross man over fifty years ago, at the end of the Second World War. “To make men and women our reason to hope”, we might add now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

A perilous world, a State in crisis, and volunteers who step in
At a time when this world of ours faces growing threats that States are ill-equipped to deal with, civil society is becoming increasingly committed, translating the frustrations and aspirations of every man, woman and child into tangible terms. The threats are specific: environmental damage, global warming, the spread of disease, in particular AIDS, the gap between population growth in some parts of the world and the greying of the population in others, disparities of consumption, fundamental human rights violations. The list continues. In many cases, the State itself is in crisis and looking to reshape its role. It sees other players emerging alongside it, powerful economic interests, regional forces, citizens’ associations, in some cases armed factions and criminal groups. The most ardent desire of some States is to combat poverty, ignorance and ill health, but they simply do not have the resources. Their public policies are at the mercy of an integrated global economy. They are also often unable to stand up to pressure groups who think solely in terms of profit and are ready to sacrifice the common good. Other States have become predators, and their “servants” have grown rich on the backs of the poor. Yet the State remains a pillar of the international system, even if it has to reposition itself or reform, and it must be helped in doing so. It can no longer, however, be considered the only defence against all the threats faced by our planet, the only means of providing a security no longer viewed in terms of military might, balance of power, regional alliances and border defence. Hence the importance for the entire world of the dedication of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers who, in their environment, help to bring about a healthier, more tolerant society, one that is better able to withstand violence, and whose presence brings with it a feeling of human warmth.

In short, it is all their anonymous, modest but determined acts combined that make the difference, each one - that of the Uganda Red Cross volunteer who risks her life to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus, or of the Algerian Red Crescent volunteer helping women and children traumatized by the violence - motivated by receptiveness to the needs of a fellow human being.

An act of brotherhood that builds bridges between communities
Contemporary society is characterized by a sharply heightened sense of identity with, for example, an ethnic group, a religion or a nation. A source of concern in some quarters, this is seen as a healthy reaction to globalization in others. Withdrawal into the identitarian fold is commonly observed in situations of armed conflict or internal strife, to the detriment of previous ties forged between communities through political parties, trade unions, sports clubs, schools, women’s associations. Individuals seek security within a community with which they fully identify, such as an ethnic group or religious faith. The social structure becomes polarized. Crossing the invisible borders separating the communities means running the risk of reprisal. Demonstrating a spirit of reconciliation is tantamount to treachery.

There is something impressive about the ability of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers to transcend these differences, to work for the restoration of a society imbued with understanding and mutual respect. The volunteers of the Colombian Red Cross who work with young people from the shanty towns to strengthen social bonds and nip violence in the bud are expressing this sense of brotherhood. The same holds true for the volunteers of the Nigerian Red Cross Society who provided first aid during disturbances, evacuated dozens of wounded Christians and Muslims to hospital and supplied relief material and medicines.

An alternative to violence
Some people may find it excessive to say that Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers, by their commitment to principles such as humanity, impartiality and of course voluntary service, are a symbol. After all, they freely undertook to honour those principles of action, which serve as guidelines for their conduct. How can their commitment have an impact on the rest of humanity?

But it does, for the volunteers offer another model of society, one which transcends borders, where mutual help is the rule, where men and women who suffer are aided not because of the passport they bear, the religion they practise or the ethnic group they belong to, but because human dignity exists. That dignity is not understood the same everywhere, it may stem from different sources, but it is universal. Violence acts like a magnet in societies where values have been undermined and with no firm standards to guide them, which sometimes have to struggle just to survive, where young people have no future. And yet in every community, even in those best known for the bloodiest episodes of their history, volunteers have chosen another path.

A new term, "Afropessimism", has appeared in the media, a hurtful term used by certain analysts and journalists to say that many countries in Africa - and in other continents - have a troubled future, especially those left out of the major trade flows. How sad, though, to view them only in the dimmest of lights, often that of inter-ethnic or religious violence, when in those same countries, discreetly, anonymously, volunteers are showing not only that violence has no hold on them, but that there are strong countercurrents. Of course we are assailed by doubts when volunteers meet their death in an act of human madness. But only for a moment, because deep down we know that they believed in what they were doing and that if the torch they were carrying fell, they would have wanted it to be picked up by someone else - which it will be and indeed already has been. Such is the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, a powerful breath of life, of friendship, of altruism that comes not from theories but from experience, the conviction that care alone does not suffice, that harm must be prevented, that perfection can be attained in little things. A smile, a hand held, a look, can mean a great deal.

A demanding commitment
It is difficult to say exactly how many Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers there are, for they are defined differently in different parts of the world. Some of them work without pay, others, in regions beset by economic difficulties, receive modest remuneration, but they all share the spirit of selfless service. Countless millions are involved to varying degrees throughout the world. About 20 million are regularly and intensely active. Their exact number is not so important, for the happiness they bring cannot be quantified. But the existence of those 20 million volunteers in Albania and France, in Afghanistan, Burundi, Sri Lanka and the United States, in the Great Lakes region of Africa and in the Near East, in Central Asia and the Caucasus, is a wonderful tribute to Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It goes to show that an idea conceived by one person can motivate men and women worldwide for over a century. It is also proof that young people of all times have an ideal and that they can find fulfilment in contact with others and in discovering their diversity.

Implementation of that idea requires discipline, tenacity and the determination to overcome obstacles. There are so many initiatives that have been taken. One is truly exemplary, namely the establishment by the Somali Red Crescent Society of community health centers. Years of conflict have brought the country to its knees, the infrastructure is partially destroyed and there is no central government. Yet despite the deep divisions among the population, the Somali Red Crescent Society has remained united. For several years, it was the only organization able to work everywhere in the country. Today it runs 46 health centers, providing vital services to remote communities. In the absence of a national health system, these are the only facilities providing medical care in some parts of the country. Patients sometimes walk for days to reach them. Such examples must be highlighted to restore faith in the future.

Is there still any point to voluntary service? Ask the shivering old people sleeping in city streets, the children running wild in the shanty towns, the AIDS victims who die a lonely death, the wounded receiving first aid. They will all tell you: yes, more than ever before. So do not hesitate in the face of other people’s distress. Get involved!