ZAGREB, October 22, 2018 - The Croatian national society of the Red Cross (HCK) celebrated its 140th anniversary at a concert in the Croatian National Theatre (HNK) in Zagreb on Sunday and on that occasion donations were collected for 140 destitute old people from all parts of the country.
During the event, Parliament Speaker Goran Jandroković awarded the Red Cross leadership with a charter of the national parliament for the society's contribution to promoting humanitarian goals. "What the Red Cross does can be a model that all of us should follow: they take care about those who have poorer health protection and who are in distress, which is why they cannot have a decent life. It is our duty to help such people and develop a society based on solidarity and care for other human beings," the parliament speaker said.
The beginnings of the Red Cross society in Croatia date back to 1878, when first associations of volunteers were set up in Zadar, Dubrovnik and Zagreb.
The organisation's president Josip Jelić said the HCK had currently 131 local branches across the country. Red Cross soup kitchens serve 530,000 meals annually.
The first blood donor event in Croatia organised by the HCK was held in Sisak on 25 October 1953. Since then, HCK regularly organises blood donor events in cooperation with transfusion services.
In attendance at the concert in HNK last night were the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Francesco Rocca, and some other distinguished guests, including Jurg Kesselring of the International Red Cross and Elhadj As Sy, the Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and senior Croatian office-holders, including Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
During the humanitarian drive for the 140 destitute people, 570,000 kuna was collected.
