As time progresses, iconic and powerful images such as those of the first nurses of the Red Cross or its volunteers tasked with monitoring the sea remain in the collective imagination. The institution is celebrating its 150th anniversary in the Archipelago. Specifically, it does so with the exhibition 150 Years of Humanitarian Action in Canary Islands, which gathers all the milestones and actions that have taken place over the last century and a half. The inauguration of the exhibition took place on Thursday, June 12, at the Exhibition Hall of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, where it will remain until June 29. It can be visited from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00 and on Saturdays in the morning. The President of the Chamber, Astrid María Pérez, presented the exhibition which features eight totems that take a journey from the origins of the organization to the present, decade by decade.
Following the welcoming words dedicated by Astrid Pérez to all attendees, political and military figures, it was the turn of the autonomous president of the Red Cross, Mayte Pociello. On behalf of the organization, she first thanked the Parliament and its team for being so empathetic and supportive. “They have allowed us to showcase all our 150 years of constant struggle, of being by the population’s side, and of knowing what is needed at all times,” she said. She acknowledged that the Canary Islands, due to their insular condition, require special care, as each island has its own peculiarities and needs. The voluntary institution’s work is primarily aimed at people in vulnerable and lonely situations. The Archipelago is also a strategic location as a connection point for several continents. For these reasons, the Red Cross has chosen the Canary Islands as the ideal location for implementing the Africa Cooperation Centre and the Logistics Centre of the International Federation.
The aim of the itinerant exhibition, which has toured parts of the Islands, is to understand what has been done and what has been dedicated to since April 1, 1874, with the first installation in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. “We hope to continue the work for another 150 years because we are proud to be part of this team. Even if we don’t have to dedicate ourselves, it will be because it is no longer necessary, which will also be a good thing,” said the autonomous president. She did not want to conclude without mentioning the support provided by institutions to the Red Cross: “We do the work together with many other organizations, with the general population, and above all with members and volunteers, fundamental pieces of the NGO.” She revealed that the training of personnel is one of the keys to facing all situations that arise. The focus of their work is people. In particular, she emphasized that it is those in vulnerable and helpless situations, “so that, through comprehensive action, they find everything they need in the Red Cross.”
A Century and a Half of Solidarity
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In the final lines of her speech, she confessed that at times she feels that nothing else can happen, but current events always surprise her, and the recent years have been very active. In an exercise of sincerity, the institution’s president admitted that they always try to offer the best service, but it is true that they can make mistakes at times. A statement to which Ana María Benedicto, another voice of the Red Cross and provincial head of the museum and documentary centre, later responded: “If we did things poorly, it would not have been possible to celebrate 150 years of history.”
“The exhibition explains why the organization has earned a place in our hearts”
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Astrid Pérez expressed her gratitude to the Red Cross for remembering the Parliament to celebrate 150 years of humanitarian action. “It all began in 1874 when the doctor Víctor Grau-Bassas initiated the organization’s history in the Canary Islands. Today, 150 years after the start, we open the doors to show the entire society the enormous work carried out in the Archipelago, with an extensive overview of its trajectory through texts and images that help understand why this organization has earned a place in our hearts,” she detailed. She considered their role and that of all the individuals who have been part of the team throughout its history. In 2023, the Red Cross assisted over 130,000 people in the Islands, with### Title: Red Cross Impact and Mission in the Canary Islands
An **outfit made up of 1,500 professionals, 18,000 volunteers, and 60,000 members** were praised for their achievements by the Chamber’s president. The inauguration event was attended by various dignitaries including the Chamber’s Vice President, [Ana Oramas](https://www.eldia.es/tags/ana-oramas/); the Transparency Commissioner, Noelia García Leal; the People’s Deputy, Dolores Padrón; the Government Subdelegate in Santa Cruz de [Tenerife](https://www.eldia.es/tenerife/), Jesús Javier Plata, and the Deputy Minister of Relations with the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Víctor Chinea.
The Red Cross’s milestones include the establishment of the **first group of volunteer nurses, the inaugural helicopter exercise in coordination with Spanish Maritime Rescue, and the first mobile ambulance**. These achievements were highlighted by Astrid Pérez and further elaborated by the provincial head of the museum and documentary centre, Ana Benedicto. The organisation’s journey in the Canary Islands began from Gran Canaria, reaching the smallest island, El Hierro, in September 1898. Initially, their focus was on armed conflicts and military campaigns, later shifting to healthcare during times of peace.
The NGO introduced the **first ambulances**, which were individuals with stretchers responsible for caring for and transporting the sick. They also founded the first **Relief Houses and medical dispensaries**, crucial for the less fortunate and those without resources. Consultations were provided, and the nursing corps was trained, leading to professionalisation by Red Cross in 1917. The institution’s key roles included having voluntary staff monitoring the seas, conducting the first helicopter exercise coordinated with the country’s Maritime Rescue in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The 1970s marked progress in the maritime and mountain activities of Red Cross and advocacy for children’s rights and anti-diabetes campaigns, including informative drives and camps for children with the disease. Two enduring strategies are the Banderita Fiesta and the lottery, known as the Golden Draw.
Acting in emergencies is crucial for the Red Cross. The team was involved in the eruption of Chinyero Volcano in 1909, Tenerife, and the more recent Tajogaite Volcano eruption in La Palma in 2021. “The 21st century has not provided us with a break as a humanitarian aid organization,” acknowledged the Red Cross representative. Events like the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the flood, the tropical storm Delta, wildfires in Gran Canaria’s mountains, and the Tenerife summer blaze are some incidents where the NGO mobilised its resources intensively.
Through essential care services and humanitarian assistance, they have been present during the recent surges in the migration phenomenon on the Canarian route. Their role at the Archipelago’s docks is the first assistance given to those migrating from the coasts of West Africa. Meanwhile, they conduct various projects like employment and solidarity plans, provision of aids, solidarity telethons, and volunteer fairs. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is home to the world’s fourth **Humanitarian Aid Logistics Centre (CLAH)**, after Dubai, Panama, and Kuala Lumpur. Red Cross inaugurated it in 2009. A year later, ten Canarians travelled to Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake to assist in the Emergency Team.
“The strength of the Red Cross lies in its volunteers and is at the core of its work for vulnerable individuals,” remarked Mayte Pociello, President of Red Cross in the Canary Islands.
The NGO encompasses six areas of expertise: **Social Inclusion, Employment, Relief, Education, Environment, and Health**. Despite their diverse areas of focus, priority groups for Red Cross include senior citizens and their caregivers, individuals in extreme vulnerability, socially disadvantaged women, unemployed and precariously employed individuals, refugees and migrants, children, youth, and individuals with reduced mobility and functional diversity.
### Title: Red Cross Spain – 160 Years of Humanitarian Impact
This year marks the **160th anniversary of Cruz Roja Española** in the country, part of the world’s largest humanitarian movement. The organisation collaborates with public and private entities to ensure aid and dignity reach all individuals in any place, at all times and circumstances. Their mission is to **prevent and alleviate human suffering**, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity. With over **254,000 volunteer personnel**, they attend to more than **11.8 million people annually**.
