Red Cross Offers Free International Humanitarian Law Class | Community Spirit

The Red Cross invites the public to sign-up for a free class, Humanity in the Midst of War.  The course will take place on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Red Cross, located at 2751 Bull Street, Classroom 2 in Columbia. 

The course will teach students about the Geneva Conventions by engaging in hands-on activities and thought-provoking discussions, while exploring the powerful and fundamental concept of human dignity in wartime. The course is free to the public.  To register, please call (803) 514-4084.

International Humanitarian Law is a set of rules that seek to protect those who do not or no longer take part in hostilities and restrict the means and methods of warfare. The Geneva Conventions are the cornerstone of international humanitarian law and are forever linked to the Red Cross.

The American Red Cross’s Congressional Charter specifies that the organization is a "Federally chartered instrumentality of the United States," and charges the American Red Cross with carrying out the "purposes of the Geneva Conventions" dating back to the original conventions in 1864. It is the duty of the American Red Cross, on behalf of the people and the government of the United States, to help to ensure that these humanitarian principles are widely understood and respected.