President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has issued a Proclamation declaring May 1 through 31, 2012 as a Red Cross and Red Crescent Month. The Proclamation also declares Tuesday, May 8, 2012 as Red Cross and Red Crescent Day to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday.

The Proclamation further calls upon all civic and voluntary organizations as well as Government Agencies concerned to cooperate and fully participate in such programs planned by the Liberian National Red Cross Society to make the observance meaningful and rewarding.

A Foreign Ministry release says the Liberian National Red Cross Society will join the International Red Cross And Red Cross Movement to celebrate the 153rd Anniversary of the Red Cross in 2012 under the theme " Youth in Action. "

The observance, according to the release, is a reaffirmation of the Liberian Government's total support for all programs of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The Liberian National Red Cross Society is an organization enacted by law to perform the obligations and responsibilities assumed by the Liberian government in dealing with the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Liberia is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions which empowered the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Under the charter of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Liberian National Red Cross Society has a responsibility to act as the medium of voluntary relief and communication between the people and the Armed Forces, as well as to operate a system of national and international relief so as to prevent and alleviate suffering caused by war, disasters, and other natural phenomena.

The Liberian Red Cross Society was founded during the administration of the late President Daniel E. Howard, when he constituted a "Voluntary Relief Committee" to raise funds to assist war victims during World War One.

Following the formation of the Voluntary Relief Committee, a joint resolution was adopted by the National Legislature of Liberia creating the Red Cross Society of Liberia, which was later reconstituted and named Liberian National Red Cross Society in 1959 by the William VS Tubman Administration and subsequently recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross.