Henry Dunant Medal

The Henry Dunant Medal is the highest award of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It is awarded to members of the Movement for special merits of international importance in the service of the Red Cross or Red Crescent. These include a long-time exceptional commitment to the movement as well as individual acts of outstanding dedication and bravery under difficult conditions that were associated with a high personal risk to their own lives, health or personal freedom.

The selection of beneficiaries is done in accordance with the statutes of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by the Permanent Commission as its supreme body. The medal will be presented at the International Red Cross Conference or the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. A posthumous award to deceased members of the movement is possible, but should remain the exception. The award is made every two years and usually in no more than five recipients.

The medal is named after Henry Dunant, founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It consists of a red cross embossed with a profile picture of Henry Dunant on a green ribbon and is based on a proposal that was adopted by the Council of Delegates of the movement at a meeting in 1963. With the support of the Australian Red Cross, the medal was officially established two years later during the International Red Cross Conference in Vienna. The initial ceremony took place four years later during the Red Cross Conference in Istanbul. After the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, the countries of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand were awarded all the volunteers of these companies in November 2005 by a symbolic award to four representatives from the national Red Cross societies.