150 Years of the Portuguese Red Cross

The organisation's cross symbol repeated in a sequence to illustrate the growing reach of humanitarian aid both within Portugal and abroad. In the background, the outline of a hand symbolising the various forms of assistance — primarily medical, but also cooperation, reconstruction and support — that the organisation provides. To the left, the legend "CRUZ VERMELHA PORTUGUESA" curves in a semicircle. At the top: the coat of arms and the issuing state "PORTUGAL"; below: the dates "1865" and "2015".

The Portuguese Red Cross, founded in 1865 as the Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, is one of the country's oldest humanitarian organisations. Shortly after the founding of the International Red Cross movement by Henry Dunant, Portugal joined - as one of the first nations in the world to do so. Over the following decades, the organisation built up a nationwide network of blood banks, emergency services, social services and training facilities. The Portuguese Red Cross gained particular significance in the second half of the 20th century, when, in the wake of decolonisation after 1974, hundreds of thousands of returnees from Angola, Mozambique and other former colonies had to be cared for. The organisation coordinated emergency shelters, initial medical care and integration measures - one of the greatest humanitarian challenges in Portugal's recent history.

Today the Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, with several million registered members and volunteers, is one of the country's largest civil society institutions. Its work ranges from classic disaster relief to care homes, day-care centres and programmes to combat poverty and social exclusion. Internationally, Portugal is present in numerous crisis regions through its Red Cross organisation, particularly in the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa. Portugal marked the organisation's 150th anniversary in 2015 with this commemorative coin.