Kohima, May 3: The Indian Red Cross Society Nagaland State Branch (IRCSN) is set to commemorate World Red Cross Day on May 8 with a major public outreach event titled ‘Walk for Humanity’, aligning with this year’s global theme, ‘United for Humanity’.
The day marks the 198th birth anniversary of Jean Henri Dunant, the visionary founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
World Red Cross Day is observed worldwide to honour Dunant’s legacy and recognise the humanitarian services rendered by Red Cross volunteers across conflicts, disasters, and crises.
This year’s theme, “United for Humanity”, emphasises solidarity in the face of increasing global challenges, including conflicts and attacks on humanitarian workers.
Speaking at a press briefing, officials of IRCSN, led by its general secretary Akhale Khamo, highlighted that the theme seeks to “reclaim the narrative in the face of dehumanising trends”, reminding society that both volunteers and beneficiaries are “human beings, not statistics”.
In a departure from previous years’ indoor observances, the Nagaland state branch is organising a Walk for Humanity to increase public visibility and participation.
Convener of the Organising Committee, Khyochano TCK, said the event will begin at 7 am from the Red Cross Complex in Kohima, proceeding to the Old NST, Main Town area. At the culmination point, she said, local MLA Dr Tsielhoutuo Rhutso would share a motivational health talk on health as a medical professional.
The event has drawn support from multiple stakeholders, including Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, Nagaland Voluntary Blood Donors Association, Kohima Village Youth Organisation, Health-focused NGOs such as Kripa Foundation and Family Planning Association of India.
The organisers stressed that the walk is more than a symbolic event as it marks the beginning of a broader campaign to strengthen humanitarian awareness and volunteerism in Nagaland.
“Red Cross has been serving Nagaland for over three decades, often as first responders during disasters. But humanitarian work cannot be done alone. We need a collective movement,” said Santu Thapa, joint secretary of IRCSN Kohima Branch.
The initiative also aims to recruit new volunteers and expand membership, encouraging citizens to formally join the Red Cross network and contribute to relief efforts, blood donation drives, and emergency response, reiterated IRCSN general secretary Khamo.(PTI)
