ZAGREB, Oct 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Red Cross (HCK) on Wednesday held a ceremony commemorating the 125th anniversary of its work.
ZAGREB, Oct 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Red Cross (HCK) on Wednesday
held a ceremony commemorating the 125th anniversary of its work.
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In the past 125 years, thousands of volunteers and activists of the
Red Cross have offered help to the local population during wars,
natural disasters and accidents, and cared for the destitute, said
participants in the ceremony, which took place at the national
parliament in Zagreb.
On behalf of the Sabor, which sponsored the celebration, the
parliament's head, Zlatko Tomcic, thanked HCK activists for
promoting solidarity and humanity. He praised the organisation for
its engagement in the Homeland Defence War, when it offered
assistance to soldiers and a large number of refugees and displaced
persons.
HCK president Jadranko Crnic said the HCK was the oldest
humanitarian organisation in the country, with 400,000 members.
"These naked figures actually speak about the grief and suffering
of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as about tens of
thousands of people who have unselfishly helped them," Crnic said.
Another HCK official, Nenad Javornik, spoke about the
organisation's activities since it became an independent society
and member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and the
Red Crescent 12 years ago.
The HCK played one of the most important roles from 1991 to 1996,
during and in the wake of the Homeland Defence War, when it cared for
600,000 persons annually. In 1992 it provided aid for the largest
number of people - 751,000, which is 17 percent of Croatia's
population, Javornik said.
After the war, the HCK directed its activities towards elderly
people, mine victims, addicts and the destitute.
At the ceremony in parliament, gold medals were awarded to those who
contributed to the organisation's work or co-operated with it.
The medals were given to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Sabor
President Zlatko Tomcic, Premier Ivica Racan, a parliament vice
president, Mato Arlovic, the ministers of social welfare and
health, Davorko Vidovic and Andro Vlahusic, honorary HCK members
Ruza Pospis Baldani and Ivan Kopjar, HCK president Jadranko Crnic,
as well as representatives of the International Federation of the
Red Cross and the Red Crescent and national organisations of the Red
Cross from the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and
Sweden.
(hina) ms