HUMANITY

Humanity. Protecting life and health.Respecting people. Working. Not for wealth.For friendship, understanding, lasting peace – towards the day when injustice will cease.

Aware of human suffering. Opening doors of prisons; entering into conflicts, wars, disaster zones. Getting the hungry fed. To boldly go where angels fear to tread.

Humanity's unique and caring face of any gender, religion or race. Not frightened to be different - working still where no one else can work, or no one will.

Alleviating suffering, bringing hope, food, water, shelter, resources to cope. Ploughing the no-man's-land, planting the treeGrowing a future for humanity.

IMPARTIALITY

An open mind. Impartialiiy. A non..discriminating clarity where race, religion, nationality are never barriers to charity.

At Solferino Henry Dunant saw both sides bleeding, dying. Both sides haunt the man whose human sympathy can't bear the inhumanity of war's mad glare.

To help a man, no matter what his creed, not bandage one and let another bleed. To understand and follow Dunant's lead and give to each according to his need.

An empathy with Everyman despite beliefs of who was wrong and who was right. Impartiality prompts us to move in human solidarity and love.

NEUTRALITY

Neutrality is not indifference, inaction, incapacity or cold compassionless closed doors behind the fence. Neutrality cannot be bought and sold.

Neutraliiy is action with a heart which beats the rhythms of humanity; with both ears open wide to hear each voice above chaotic war's insanity.

The neutral volunteer does not forget her ideology, religion, race or politics. She knows herself. And yet she knows there is more than one human face

Neutrality is not weak or naïve, steps boldly through barbed-wire, sees no sense in suffering, Not frightened to believe – neutrality embraces difference.

INDEPENDENCE

Not influenced by media, politics, power, or money with its dirty tricks. An independent movement has to be immune to interference, honest, free.

Its money must come freely with no strings. The movement must not get bogged down in things and processes and protocols, grey shapes, locked doors, closed files, dark secrets and red tapes.

The independent movement targets need, not heeding animosity or greed. It does not race, compete, or join the queue – it does the jobs which no-one else will do.

A democratic movement which is free, impartial, neutral, loves humanity. Its strength comes from its roots, right from the start – an independent person with a heart.

VOLUNTARY SERVICE

The volunteer has eyes which see the need, ears which hear the voice above the creed, an open heart which will respond with care, working hands, a spirit which will dare.

Not under orders sent from far away, nor saying what he has been told to say. The volunteer's strength comes from within – the reason for his work is up to him.

The selfless gesture can restore a hope, reintroduce capacity to cope. A faith in life, an energy to live, part of a world whose nature is to give.

The volunteer is not inspired by gain of money, prizes, status. He's not vain. A taste for life. A thirst for what is true. His love for others tells him what to do

UNITY

A unity of action, one for all and all for one. No factions, big or small. No splinter groups, divisions, no lost souls, white elephants, red herrings or black holes.

Reaching remotest regions, reaching out. Inclusiveness is what it's all about. Network of local branches bearing fruits and drawing energy from common roots.

Organization with a human face – discrimination never has a place. Organization with a human heart – open to everyone, right from the start.

Including the whole country, every child and man and woman, every distant mile. Facing disasters, injustices, wars. Humans united in a common cause.

UNIVERSALITY

Respect for human beings, love for life. Universality in times of strife and times of peace. Awareness of the other, the victim, the poor country, the lost brother.

Co-operation, reciprocity, and self-awareness in the family tree. A song where different voices all belong. The weak must not be silenced by the strong.

Roots in all different cultures, branches free to reach the sky and celebrate the tree. Fruits of humanity, green leaves unfurled - responsibiliiy around the world.

If universal suffering gives us pause, then universal healing gives us cause. We're all in chains unless we all are free. We are all one big human family.