Obama supports Red Cross

Today I thought of Henrik Beer, Secretary General of the International Fedeartion Red Cross from 1960 to 1982. If he were alive, he would have been so moved to see a black American President, Barack Obama. Henrik Beer worked tirelessly to bring diversity into an organisation that was European, North American white, and Scandanavian dominated in the 1960s and 70s.



Henrik Beer

Henrik bought in Bill Dabney as his Deputy Secretary General in the late 1960s, the first black American to hold that position. Justice Adefarasin, from Nigeria in 1977 become the first African to hold highest position in the Red Cross, the President of the then League of Red Cross Societies.

Recently, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appointed Bekele Geleta, from Ethiopia, as our first African Secretary General.

These are times of change, healing and renewal in world politics and world humanity. We have the leadership. I salute you Barack. You spent many years as a boy in Jakarta, and won the admiration of Indonesians. I live in Jakarta and hear and read from people who new you. You left your mark in this country.

I also note that when Hurrican Gustav struck the US in September this year, you asked people to give to the American Red Cross. I quote from AFP/

Associated Press
September 2, 2008
DETROIT - Barack Obama urged hundreds of thousands of supporters yesterday to donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Gustav. The Democratic presidential nominee scaled back Labor Day speeches to unions in an effort to keep the focus on the Gulf Coast.

It will be a hard road ahead, but I am convinced we have the moral leadership now to tackle the issues of inequity, poverty, discrimination and turn the World's economy round.

Henrik Beer Obituary-New York Times

NEW YORK TIMES

HENRIK BEER, 71, OF THE RED CROSS

Published: May 26, 1987
LEAD: Henrik Beer, former Secretary General of the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, died Saturday at his Geneva home, the league announced yesterday. He was 71 years old.

Henrik Beer, former Secretary General of the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, died Saturday at his Geneva home, the league announced yesterday. He was 71 years old.

The league, based in Geneva, said in a statement that Mr. Beer died after a long illness. It gave no cause of death.

Mr. Beer, a Swedish national, headed the league from 1960 until his retirement in 1981, overseeing an increase in membership in the humanitarian organization from 86 to 126.

Born in Stockholm in 1915, his first contact with the Red Cross was during World War II when he was put in charge of coordinating neutral Sweden's relief efforts for war victims. He was Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross until his appointment to the Geneva post.

As head of the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Mr. Beer's principal task was to organize international help in times of natural disaster. He traveled to more than 80 countries in fulfillment of that assignment.

He also ventured into war zones in Africa and Asia, making headlines in 1969 when he enlisted Unicef, the United Nations children's relief agency, in a joint aid program in North Vietnam at the height of the Vietnam War.

Mr. Beer is survived by his wife and three sons. A memorial service is to be be held at the Protestant St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva today.

I need more information and photographs on Henrik Beer.

I started this blog in the hope other people who knew Henrik Beer, or had information about Henrik Beer, would contribute to this blog so we could record the life of this great man. It has been difficult. I really ask you to contribute.

Best wishes to all.

Bob

The first commission on inquiry into the future role of Swedish development assistance

Caption: Olaf Palme joined Henrik Beer on the inquiry group.



In 1958 the first commission on inquiry into the future role of Swedish development assistance started its work. The inquiry group had representatives, all men, from Sweish industrial orgamisations and popuar NGOs.

Henrik Beer, Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross and Olaf Palme, Parliament member,were among the many prominent committee members.

An extract from May-Britt Ohman “(Hydro) Power for poor peoples-feminist perspectives on technology in development assistance’ paper presented at the conference “Information Technology, Transnational Democracy and Gender-RELOADED”, Lulea, Sweden, November 14-16, 2003

HONOUR FROM THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA NATIONAL RED CROSS

On 27 October 1980 Henrik Beer became the 13th person in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to receive the highest award of the Republic of Korea National Red Cross Society.

His name is listed along with other distinquished recepients.



13 1980. 10. 27 Henrik Beer (Federation of Red Cross Secretary General)

12 1976. 10. 27 故sonchanghwan (Former president)

11 1976. 10. 27 故yangjusam (Former president)

10 1976. 10. 27 故gimgyusik (Former president)

9 1976. 10. 27 故yihuigyeong (Former president)

8 1975. 10. 17 DGWhyte (New Zealand Red Cross president)

7 1975. 10. 17 Matts Bergom Larsson (Sweden, president of the Red Cross)

6 1975. 10. 17 Major General AEwrinch (Canadian Red Cross president)

5 1975. 10. 17 龍东太郞(Japan Red Cross president)

4 1975. 10. 17 Geoffrey Newman Morris (Australia Red Cross president)

3 1975. 10. 17 George M. Eisey (American Red Cross president)

2 1975. 10. 17 故choeduseon

1 1975. 10. 17 Kim Jong-pil