International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The world's largest humanitarian network, founded in 1919 in Paris in the aftermath of World War I as the League of Red Cross Societies, the brainchild of Henry Davison, president of the American Red Cross War Committee. Its mission is to inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies. Its secretariat in Geneva supports local Red Cross and Red Crescent action in more than 191 countries, bringing together more than 18 million volunteers. It became the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1983 and took its current name in 1991, and together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross it makes up the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.