The League of Red Cross Societies: Per Humanitatem Ad Pacem

The introductory chapter provides an overview of the book, Resilient Humanitarianism, and important contextual information for readers about the history of the League of Red Cross Societies, now the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world’s largest humanitarian and volunteer network made up of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies from around the world. The League was established in 1919 to complement the work of the ICRC during peacetime. The League’s focus was on the improvement of public health, the prevention of disease and the mitigation of suffering. The chapter includes a discussion of characteristics of the League that helps to explain its longevity and its resilient humanitarianism. These include governance structures, how networks were assembled, ruptures and crises, innovation, capacity for development, and principles and values.