From its earliest history, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has used posters to spread its messages and values. Whether they are used to introduce the Movement, recruit volunteers, raise funds, call for blood donations, encourage proper hygiene, prevent diseases, respond to natural disasters, warn about anti-personnel mines or offer first-aid training, these posters attract attention, provide information and promote the humanitarian cause.

More than a means of communication, they are also witnesses to a particular time in history, capturing events that changed the world and expressing the concerns of the regions in which they appeared.

These posters hold a mirror to society. In them we find the Movement’s history, its activities, its relevance and – most of all – its universality.