Distinguished attendees,
Dear friends,

We are here today thanks to the vision of one man. He witnessed the bloody battlefield near Solferino where, on June 24, 1859 the major European powers clashed. The price of that battle was paid by almost 30.000 people. Left without elementary medical assistance, a huge part of the wounded soldiers succumbed to their injuries. Those who survived bore the scars from the battlefield for the rest of their lives.

Faced with the terror of Solferino, Henry Dunant organized local population to help the wounded.
After his return to Switzerland, he appealed for the creation of an army of trained volunteers whose main aim would be to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever they are. With this, the International Committee of the Red Cross was established.

Dear fellow citizens,

Just like Henry Dunant, we all have our own Solferino. For some, it might be a natural disaster; an injury in a traffic accident; a neighboring family having lost the roof over their heads or a homeless beggar.

Faced with our Solferinos, we are all put to the great test: Will we help or run away; will we give or take; will we take a look or turn our heads the other way. And if we decide to take a look, will we see in that suffering man an aim that requires a humane responde, or a means to achieving another, selfish goal.

That is the moment that tests our bravery, our love, our humanity. That is the moment in which we find out whether we have played our role here on Earth with dignity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we have with us the people who have been successfully passing the test of humanity in the Republic of Macedonia for seven decades now.

Seventy years ago, Macedonia came out of World War II free, but devastated. The population was finally liberated from the occupiers, but not from the traumatic consequences of the atrocious war. Thousands were wounded, ill, emaciated, displaced, lonely, lost...

It is in these critical moments the Red Cross of Macedonia was born and brought new hope to the hopeless and strength to the emaciated.

When, back in 1963, in only a few seconds Skopje became a city of tents instead of a city of houses; when entire families disappeared and whole quarters were wiped off the face of the Earth, the Red Cross was the first to help the injured and provide shelter to the homeless.

Even today, while our fellow citizens are suffering the consequences of the inundations throughout our country, again the Red Cross is on the field, tirelessly helping them by providing with all necessities. The Red Cross is a pillar without which it would be very difficult for the state institutions to fulfill their responsibility as regards the citizens.

This organization is omnipresent and available to everyone, expressed through the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntarism, unity and universality.

The Red Cross is always prepared to help reactively, but also to cooperate with other stakeholders who should be prepared to act preventively.

By passing the test of humanity and self-sacrifice, the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia has gained the trust of Macedonian citizens and has thus become their extension of solidarity.

Dear friends,

Human life is priceless, and human dignity is immeasurable. Therefore, there is no price great enough in this world to express the true meaning of every individual act of humanity.

No matter how prestigious, the three Nobel Peace Prizes and many national and international recognitions are only mirrors that reflect the indescribable gratitude to the people of the International federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

This is why we are thankful to the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia for every human gesture, each drop of blood gifted, every meal shared and every human life saved. We are thankful to the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia because it reminds us of our duty to be human.

Humanity does not start when proper conditions have been created or when circumstances allow. Humanity begins right after we hear that someone needs help, regardless of their ethnic, religious, linguistic, social or any other affiliation. Humanity cannot be taught. It is a God given privilege, and it is up to us to cherish and promote it.

Humanity does not start with declarations, statements and conventions, but with the self-sacrifice of compassionate men and women ready to help the injured, the ill and the hungry, everywhere and at all times.

Dear fellow citizens,

With all their acts, the generations of members and volunteers of the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia are fulfilling Dunant's noble vision. They are, however, doing even more.

They encourage us to compete in doing good.
They challenge us to compete in kindness, because we need kindness today more than ever before.

True kindness goes beyond any divisions, it wipes away all differences and shuts down all malicious and hypocritical remarks. True kindness unites.

Therefore, I invite you to greet them and thank them with an applause.

As President of the Republic of Macedonia, but above all as a man, I invite all those who can volunteer - to enter the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia. And those who can allocate funds or other resources, to do it. Of all the human sufferings so far, it is high time for us to learn that it is necessary to act preventively. Let us all together help the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia to continue being our hope for humanity.

With these words, on behalf of all citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, I wish to congratulate the Red Cross on its anniversary. I wish we would be stronger and more united in every future challenge.

Thank you.