The Movement of the Red Cross operates in the field of the humanitarian aid on the basis of seven common basic principles adopted by the XXth International Conference of the Red Cross in Vienna in 1965,principles that represent the spirit and ethics of the Red Cross and function as its voucher and guidance. They summarize the aims of the movement and the means to achieve them.

HUMANITY

"Born from the desire to bring assistance to the wounded on the battlefield without discrimination,the Red Cross, under its international and national aspect,endeavors to prevent and alleviate human suffering in all circumstances. It aims to protect life and health and to respect the human being; fosters mutual understanding, friendship and lasting peace among all peoples. "

Therefore the primary concern of the Red Cross Movement is not only the aid;it believes as well in the prevention of suffering as its primary goal.And for this reason, Red Cross operators all over the world are eager to promulgate the 'health education,the knowledge of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and the principles of the Red Cross, which must,in any case, be the basis of the conscience of every human being.

The action that the International Committee carries out for the development,the testing and the dissemination of International Humanitarian Law,is the fundamental basis of peace among people. Seeing that it is impossible to abolish wars, it is important that every human being develops a consciousness based on the right, a right that its same name describes as "humanitarian" so that the person and his dignity are respected in every way.

But the Red Cross does not only mean the peace as the mere absence of war but as a dynamic process of cooperation between all states and peoples, which is based on respect for freedom, independence, national sovereignty, equality, human rights and on a fair and equitable allocation of the resources in order to meet the needs of the people.

NEUTRALITY

"In order to maintain the confidence of everyone, the Red Cross refrains from taking part in hostilities over political, racial, religious and philosophical. controversies"

Since the Red Cross acts, as we have seen, even in times of armed conflict, it puts its structure at the public's service without supporting or favoring the interests of any state in particular. This is the guarantee it offers in order to get the confidence of all.

IMPARTIALITY

"The Red Cross makes no distinction as to nationality, race, religion, social status and political affiliation. It is committed only to assist individuals according to their suffering by giving priority to the most urgent interventions."

This way the concepts of superiority and inferiority are removed,restoring to every man an equal footing.

INDEPENDENCE

"The Red Cross is independent. The national societies, auxiliary to public authorities in their humanitarian activities and subject to the laws governing their respective countries, must however preserve an autonomy that allows them to always act according to the principles of the Red Cross."

This principle refers not only to public authorities but to anything that can divert the Red Cross from its ends. Although the Red Cross is funded primarily by the state to which it belongs, it must maintain its independence regarding the political interferences, having as its sole cause the humanitarian work and colaborate with the state on this purpose .

VOLUNTEER

"The Red Cross is an institution of voluntary and altruistic assistance."

Volunteer is that who joins an organization of his own free will without any constraint. This doesn't exclude that its service may be paid.
Within the Red Cross, in fact, there are volunteers who offer their service free in their spare time and those who are entirely dependent on it, but all of them must have made a precise and free choice, with the desire to adhere to the fundamental principles and, especially, to help the suffering next.Within the Red Cross not only is important to have the right atitude on the work in charge, be it administrative, technical, health, but above all you must feel inside yourself the conviction and the moral strength to live in the spirit of service.


UNITY

"In one same country can exist only one Red Cross Society. It must be open to all and to extend its humanitarian action throughout the territory."

The unity of the Red Cross is an element of peace within the nation.

This principle also includes the extension of the Red Cross work on the entire territory.It is in fact necessary to spread the Red Cross organization out hence its presence in every city and village. The principle of Unity is an invitation to all those working within the Red Cross to feel as matched and united components of one association, with equal rights and duties, but above all having at the basis of their commitment the same spirit and the same humanitarian ideals.

In an increasingly interdependent world, is now more than ever present the will to cooperate to save mankind.

UNIVERSALITY

"The Red Cross is the universal institution within which all Societies have equal rights and the duty to help each other."

Every action of solidarity,every development program of the Red Cross is founded on the global vision of the needs and, on this basis, it molds structures and appropriate responses.Isolating is outdated and no individual, no country, even if it could, acts alone.

All development and relief programs have the goal to confirm the ability of people to deal with crisis situations; the aid of the Red Cross is seeking to strengthen their abilities,to give them the means and the strength to be protagonists of their future.To participate to the improvement of the living conditions and to reduce the individuals vulnerability also thanks to development plans associated to disaster prevention programs-these are the goals that the Red Cross has given itself to reach by the end of the millennium. "Dignity for All" is what the Movement of the Red Cross strives to achieve in the first decade of 2000.