Emblems and Movement logo
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Emblems
The Movement has three globally recognised emblems—the red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal. They are symbols of assistance in times of conflict and disaster.
The use of emblems is safeguarded by international humanitarian law. Regulations governing the graphic depiction of the red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal on a white background must strictly adhere to.
Article 44 of the First Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 makes the distinction between the protective use and thew indicative use of the emblems and outlines the general rules governing the two uses.
Used in times of armed conflict.
In protective use, to ensure maximum visibility, the emblems must be large in comparison to the person or object displaying it, e.g. on rooftops or armbands.
General rules:
The red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal must always be in plain solid red.
The shapes of the red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal must never be altered.
The cross, the crescent and the crystal must always appear on a white background. No variations, not even beige or grey shading, are allowed.
No lettering, design or object should be superimposed on the red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal or white background.
The red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal should never be three-dimensional.
The red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal should never be used in series as a border or a pattern.
Misuse of the emblems
The Geneva Conventions Act 1958 prohibits any design nearly resembling the emblems “as to be capable of being mistaken for, or understood as referring to, one of those emblems.”
The 1958 Act also prohibits the use of the white cross on a red background to represent any activity associated with a Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society.
Despite the significance of the emblem internationally, it is still widely misused by unrelated organisations including the manufacturers of first aid products, pharmacies, vets and medical professionals. Even if misuse occurs in a country that is not experiencing armed conflict, it can impair the emblem’s image and reputation globally and may weaken its protective effect.
If there is reasonable doubt that a mark or sign could be mistaken for the official emblems, it must be considered an imitation and not be registered as a trademark or used in any other way.
Movement Logo
The Movement logo represents all three parts of the Movement as one: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and our 191 National Societies.
The Movement logo is used for representation, communication, promotion and fundraising purposes. It is not used for operational activities and its display requires special approval. Please contact brand@ifrc.org to get permission to use the Movement logo.
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