Last Saturday, the Malta Red Cross joined forces with other 180 independent nations to celebrate International Red Cross Day, which has been commemorated annually on 8 May since 1948.

Besides inviting members of the public to witness and take part in first aid training and other various other activities on the day, members of the Malta Red Cross will now be visiting the National Blood Transfusion Centre in Guardamangia tomorrow to donate blood.

The invitation is also being extended to the public, with everyone encouraged to donate blood and become blood donors.

International Red Cross Day has been celebrated annually since 8 May 1948 because the date commemorates the birthday of the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, Henri Dunant, whose humanitarian, voluntary spirit and determination led to the creation of the movement and the signing of the Geneva conventions.