Red Cross remembers volunteers who died in Syria

MEMBERS of the Red Cross have remembered fellow volunteers who have died in Syria as the charity marks its 150th anniversary.

Red Cross volunteers hold pictures of 22 of their colleagues who have been died helping people in Syria. Picture: PA

The occasion was used to call for an end to the conflict and to ensure the safety of aid workers across the world.

Volunteers in Glasgow gathered at The People’s Palace and held pictures of 22 workers who have died since war broke out in Syria.

British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nick Young said: “Today we are standing in solidarity with our friends and colleagues in the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to say enough is enough.

“Across Syria, volunteers are risking their lives to bring vital aid to people in desperate need.

“Intentional targeting of aid workers, who play no part in the conflict and who simply seek to help those most in need, is unacceptable. This must stop.

“The movement is asking all parties to the conflict to respect humanitarian workers and allow them to work in safety.”

The charity movement started in 1863, inspired by Swiss businessman Henry Dunant.

He had been appalled at the suffering of thousands of men who were left to die due to lack of care after the Battle of Solferino in Italy in 1859.

Dunant proposed the creation of national relief societies, made up of volunteers, to provide neutral and impartial help to relieve suffering in times of war.