Special Tribute of the Movement
From time to time, the Standing Commission becomes aware of outstanding humanitarians whose efforts and achievements are of a character that makes it difficult to meet the criteria of the established honours within the Movement. It may decide, on an extraordinary and ad hoc basis, to present a special tribute of the Movement to honour individuals, groups of individuals or organizations for such highly significant achievements in support of the Red Cross and Red Crescent mission.
2015: Volunteers of the National Societies
of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone
On the occasion of its Council of Delegates in Geneva on 8 December 2015, the Movement honoured the brave volunteers of the National Societies of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and especially the safe and dignified burial teams, for their humanitarian efforts in response to the Ebola epidemic.
In recognition of their exemplary dedication to humanitarian work in response to outbreak of the Ebola virus, the Standing Commission unanimously agreed to bestow a Special Humanitarian Award on the volunteers of the National Societies of the three countries most severely affected: the Red Cross Society of Guinea, the Liberian Red Cross Society and the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society. The Safe and Dignified Burial Teams received especial mention for their tremendous courage and outstanding commitment to life-saving work.
By giving this award the Movement expressed its deep admiration for the courage, perseverance and commitment of all the volunteers in all the countries affected by the disease.
2013: Patrick Farmer, volunteers of the Australian Red Cross
On the occasion of its Council of Delegates in Sydney on 17-18 November 2013, the Movement honoured, the Australian Red Cross volunteer Patrick Farmer who successfully completed the world’s longest ultra-marathon, a “Pole to Pole Run” from the North Pole to the South Pole to highlight the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
He departed the North Pole on 8 April 201 and finished at the South Pole on 19 January 2012. While covering some 21,000 kilometres he raised funds for clean water programs for the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
