PRESS RELEASE...In 1991, the League of Red Cross Societies became the International Federation of...
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Transcript of PRESS RELEASE...In 1991, the League of Red Cross Societies became the International Federation of...
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PRESS RELEASE
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THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MUSEUM WILL DRAW FROM ITS COLLECTION OF POSTERS SPANNING 150 YEARS OF HISTORY FOR AN UPCOMING EXHIBITION ENTITLED POSTERS UNPACKED, RUNNING FROM 2 OCTOBER 2019 TO 26 JANUARY 2020.2019 was a year of change for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum: after two decades of
successful leadership, Roger Mayou handed over the reins to art historian Pascal Hufschmid this past July. In his
welcoming address, the new director posed a question and set the scene for the Museum’s work going forward:
“How does humanitarian action concern us all in our everyday lives? We will be inviting artists from Geneva, elsewhere
in Switzerland and beyond to produce new works that explore this very theme. Works that inspire us, that move us,
that force us to stop and think. Our exhibitions constantly reaffirm the Museum’s role as a place of memory – and as
a forum for creativity and dialogue on the issues, values and developments that shape humanitarian action.”
The Museum’s latest temporary exhibition is very much in keeping with the new director’s philosophy. Visitors
will get an up-close and poignant look at how the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has been
communicating through posters for the past 150 years, as well as a glimpse into how the Museum manages its
collection of over 27,000 items, including 10,500 posters. Journalists will be invited behind the scenes to explore
the archives and talk to some of the talented people who make sense of the Museum’s collections and bring this
remarkable heritage to life – including head of collections Catherine Burer and head of exhibitions and publications
Sandra Sunier, both of whom contributed to Posters, a book-length introduction to the Museum’s poster collection
that was published in May 2019.
The collection spans over a century and a half of history, from 1866 to 2017. The way we communicate has changed
immeasurably in that time, not least with the advent of modern technology. But posters are just as effective today as
they have always been. They still adorn the walls of our towns and cities, catching our eye and capturing our hearts
and minds. And their impact remains as powerful now as it was 150 years ago.
THE MUSEUM’S COLLECTIONSThe Museum has collected over 27,000 items since opening its doors on 29 October 1988. This includes 10,500 posters
from around the world, which were acquired from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socie-
ties, the International Committee of the Red Cross and National Societies, as well as from sellers and private donors.
Visuals & posters of the exhibition are available at the following link:
https://www.redcrossmuseum.ch/presse/exposition-temporaire/
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SERVING HUMANITY
No borders for the Red Cross
Lebanon, non dated
After the First World War, people were united
by the desire to prevent a similar disaster
from ever happening again. And so institu-
tions designed to “manage the peace” – like
the League of Nations – were created. It was in
this spirit that, in 1919, the League of Red Cross
Societies came into being: men and women
from around the world joining forces to res-
pond to public-health challenges and deliver
relief and assistance to victims of natural
disasters. Universality became the central
theme of poster campaigns from this era.
In 1991, the League of Red Cross Societies
became the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Fede-
ration is currently composed of 191 National
Societies, each representing one country, that
serve as auxiliaries to the public authorities.
Depending on the needs at hand, they may
provide first-aid training, run blood drives or
search for missing people. Again, posters very
much reflect the pressing issues of their time.
National Societies can also team up with their
counterparts from other countries to res-
pond to natural disasters and be called upon
in times of war. In both cases, the emblems
are a prominent feature of the posters they
produce. In 1864, 12 European States and king-
doms adopted the emblem of a red cross on a
white background for their National Societies.
In 1876, the red crescent emblem was created
for Muslim countries, which do not identify
with the cross. In 1929, Iran’s National Society
chose the emblem of the red lion and sun,
which it used until the country became an
Islamic republic in 1979. The following year, it
adopted the red crescent as its emblem.
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The Turkish Red Crescent Society awaits your precious contribution!
Turkey, 1954
Fundraising has been an important
task for the Red Cross throughout
its history. Everyone is called upon
to do what they can, whether that
means joining the Movement,
entering raffles or donating money
to a disaster or humanitarian relief
account. Fundraising campaigns
put urgent needs front and centre.
Various visual strategies – such as
the red cross lighting the earth, the
red crescent displayed proudly on
flags, and the portrayal of those in
dire need – are employed to appeal
to donors’ emotions and encourage
donations.
YOU TOO CAN GIVE !
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Voluntary service is one of the Red
Cross Movement’s seven funda-
mental principles. The Movement
would not be able to provide
assistance and protection without
the help of both paid and unpaid
volunteers. All volunteers must
be trusted members of the local
community who are able to identify
its needs. Everyone, no matter their
age, is welcome to volunteer. Re-
cruitment posters often use the ico-
nic image of a woman holding out
her hand – in this case, to encourage
people to join the National Society.
She is presented as an active figure,
unburdened by gender stereotypes.
Enthusiastic members of the Red Cross! Take an active part in
public health promotion !
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 1956
ON THE JOB
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Give blood to save life
Papua New Guinea, non dated
One of the National Societies’
main tasks is to ensure that
there is always a sufficient
supply of healthy blood. Doing
so requires raising people’s
awareness of the issue. Most
posters on this topic feature
images of medical equipment;
the figures of donor and reci-
pient are rarely depicted.
BLOOD IS LIFE
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Ever since it was founded in 1919,
the Federation has supported and
promoted governments’ pu-
blic-health initiatives through the
National Societies. It promotes the
importance of healthy living, with
a particular focus on eating well,
restorative sleep, personal hygie-
ne, clean living areas and outdoor
exercise.
Good food brings good health
Nigeria, 1965
SUN AND CLEAN AIR
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K. Sakai,
Let us cover our mouth and nose whenever sneezing or coughing
Japan, 1925
These posters are designed to
warn people about diseases,
addiction, workplace hazards
and traffic accidents. The infor-
mation being conveyed is thus
paramount. Simple actions and
responsible behaviour, such as
sneezing into a tissue or into your
elbow rather than your hands, are
good ways to keep yourself – and
others – healthy. Disease out-
breaks and accidents don’t just
threaten lives, they can also affect
a country’s social and economic
well-being.
PROTECT YOURSELF
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Knowing first aid can save lives in
emergency situations. This same
message is conveyed in posters
conceived in markedly different
cultural contexts and for vastly
different audiences. Accidents
can happen at any time: at home,
outside, at work, and while practi-
sing sports. With proper first-aid
training, you know what to do and
can act fast. The Red Cross and Red
Crescent offer first-aid courses to
people of all ages, even children.
Other types of training are also
provided, on topics such as caring
for the elderly and working with
vulnerable minorities. These two
groups are constantly growing and
increasingly isolated, which makes
providing them with day-to-day
support an ongoing challenge.
Soyez prêts pour les premiers secours. Enfants,
suivez le cours de premiers secours
Bulgarie, 1949
CAN YOU HELP ?
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#Pas une cible
Suisse, 2017
The Red Cross and Red Crescent
seek to prevent and alleviate
human suffering in times of war
and peace. Most posters of this
type address protection from
one of two angles: some show
the damage caused when protec-
tion is absent, while others focus
more on prevention. Either way,
the emphasis is always the same:
preserving human dignity, limiting
the damaging effects of natural
disasters, creating a safe living en-
vironment for all, and promoting
peace and mutual understanding.
WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT HUMAN DIGNITY
