By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 18:47 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 17 November 2013 . It is an organisation which has helped the world's most desperate people for more than a century, and its symbol is instantly recognised as a sanctuary and beacon of hope the world over. Founded 150 years ago, the Red Cross is the world's oldest and largest humanitarian organisation, and has been involved in virtually every conflict and disaster in recent memory. But rather than resting on its laurels for its anniversary, the movement, currently active in countries including Syria, the Philippines and Iraq, has used the date to highlight the plight of refugees to the rest of the world. History: These American Red Cross nurses collect money in Birmingham, Alabama in 1918 . Salvation: A Red Cross worker lifts the child of refugees fleeing the Rwanda genocide in the 1990s . Aid: Refugees displaced by the eruption of a volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo queue for food provided by the Red Cross . Rescuer: A member of the Italian red cross carries an Albanian girl, fleeing the country's rebellion in 1997 . Treatment: A Red Cross paramedic attends to wounded Muhammed Mahd, whose house was bombed by Israeli warplanes in 2006 Lebanon War . A series of events including theatre and a photography exhibition will show the Red Cross's involvement in conflicts as far back as the 1950s, though the organisation has been active for much longer. It was founded by . Swiss businessman Henry Dunant, who saw the devastation of war in the 1859 in Italy, and formed the organisation four years later in 1863. Its mission is 'to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance.' The workers bring medical supplies and food to disaster areas, as well as helping refugees move through the systems in countries where they seek asylum. Among the most significant interventions of the Red Cross in recent decades were in the Hungarian revolution of 1956, the Vietnam war in the 1970s, the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Rations: An Albanian boy receives two loaves of bread and two cans of milk from the Red Cross in the Kosovo War . Help from above: A Red Cross helicopter drops off aid in Kosovo . Loved ones: A Liberian women examines a board showing lost children - a service provided by the Red Cross in the wake of the African nation's civil war . Vast: The Red Cross is heavily involved in helping at Dadaab, pictured, the world's largest refugee camp . Suffering: A woman watches as her husband digs a grave for their 6 month old child at Dadaab in 2011 . The Red Cross is also heavily involved in providing aid in Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp. The centre in Kenya is home to 470,000 people and covers an area twice as large as Manchester. They also help in the wake of natural disasters, including the Iranian earthquake of 1962, the major African famine of the 1980s, the Colombian earthquake of 1999 as well as more recent disasters including Hurricans Katrina and Sandy in the US and Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillippines, recovery efforts for which are still in full force. In the UK the organisation has helped in the wake of events such as Lockerbie air disaster in Scotland in 1988, the Easter floods which ravaged the Midlands in 1998. Earlier this year the British Red Cross announced it would start collecting and distributing food to the needy - the first time it has taken such action since the Second World War. Nick Scott Flynn, Head of Refugee . Services at the British Red Cross said: 'We wanted to do something that . would impact the British consciousness long-term for our 150th year. Ongoing efforts: This plane was sent to the Philippines yesterday by the Red Cross from Stansted airport, and carried 85 tonnes of relief materials to the crisis . Danger: Red Cross workers in Syria face a damaged urban environment . Supplies: Aid workers in Syria carry the flag of the Red Crescent movement, which is part of the Red Cross organisation . Treatment: Medics in Syria treat an injured man . It’s . easy for refugees to be seen in two dimensional terms – a mass of . people, a problem, so often a political hot potato. This work will . challenge that.' Patrice Shema, a former refugee from Rwanda, participated in the project and said: 'That sense of being a refugee is so strong. It’s been so many years, it stays raw, always there. 'I don’t regret it though. It makes you feel more determined to make a home for yourself.' The centerpiece of the anniversary exhibition will be portraits of refugees by Paul Conroy, who was working with Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin when she was killed in Syria last year. He said: 'This project has brought my own experience of recording conflicts over almost two decades, full-circle. Refugees are so often faceless in our minds. These portraits show their individuality.' Portrait: This photograph, by war photojournalist Paul Conroy, shows Bassil, who lives in Edinburgh with his family after fleeing Syria . Individuality: This portrait by Mr Conroy shows Hasan Mohammad Abdalla, who fled Syria in 2011 and now lives in Lewisham, south east London . Exhibition: The Red Cross anniversary celebration includes a theatre event called Seeking Sanctuary .
Organisation was founded by a Swiss businessman in 1863 .
It is dedicated to assisting those affected by war and disasters .
Has been active in virtually every major incident in recent decades .
It has used the landmark anniversary to draw attention to the plight of refugees the world over .
By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 18:47 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 17 November 2013 . It is an organisation which has helped the world's most desperate people for more than a century, and its symbol is instantly recognised as a sanctuary and beacon of hope the world over. Founded 150 years ago, the Red Cross is the world's oldest and largest humanitarian organisation, and has been involved in virtually every conflict and disaster in recent memory. But rather than resting on its laurels for its anniversary, the movement, currently active in countries including Syria, the Philippines and Iraq, has used the date to highlight the plight of refugees to the rest of the world. History: These American Red Cross nurses collect money in Birmingham, Alabama in 1918 . Salvation: A Red Cross worker lifts the child of refugees fleeing the Rwanda genocide in the 1990s . Aid: Refugees displaced by the eruption of a volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo queue for food provided by the Red Cross . Rescuer: A member of the Italian red cross carries an Albanian girl, fleeing the country's rebellion in 1997 . Treatment: A Red Cross paramedic attends to wounded Muhammed Mahd, whose house was bombed by Israeli warplanes in 2006 Lebanon War . A series of events including theatre and a photography exhibition will show the Red Cross's involvement in conflicts as far back as the 1950s, though the organisation has been active for much longer. It was founded by . Swiss businessman Henry Dunant, who saw the devastation of war in the 1859 in Italy, and formed the organisation four years later in 1863. Its mission is 'to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance.' The workers bring medical supplies and food to disaster areas, as well as helping refugees move through the systems in countries where they seek asylum. Among the most significant interventions of the Red Cross in recent decades were in the Hungarian revolution of 1956, the Vietnam war in the 1970s, the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Rations: An Albanian boy receives two loaves of bread and two cans of milk from the Red Cross in the Kosovo War . Help from above: A Red Cross helicopter drops off aid in Kosovo . Loved ones: A Liberian women examines a board showing lost children - a service provided by the Red Cross in the wake of the African nation's civil war . Vast: The Red Cross is heavily involved in helping at Dadaab, pictured, the world's largest refugee camp . Suffering: A woman watches as her husband digs a grave for their 6 month old child at Dadaab in 2011 . The Red Cross is also heavily involved in providing aid in Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp. The centre in Kenya is home to 470,000 people and covers an area twice as large as Manchester. They also help in the wake of natural disasters, including the Iranian earthquake of 1962, the major African famine of the 1980s, the Colombian earthquake of 1999 as well as more recent disasters including Hurricans Katrina and Sandy in the US and Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillippines, recovery efforts for which are still in full force. In the UK the organisation has helped in the wake of events such as Lockerbie air disaster in Scotland in 1988, the Easter floods which ravaged the Midlands in 1998. Earlier this year the British Red Cross announced it would start collecting and distributing food to the needy - the first time it has taken such action since the Second World War. Nick Scott Flynn, Head of Refugee . Services at the British Red Cross said: 'We wanted to do something that . would impact the British consciousness long-term for our 150th year. Ongoing efforts: This plane was sent to the Philippines yesterday by the Red Cross from Stansted airport, and carried 85 tonnes of relief materials to the crisis . Danger: Red Cross workers in Syria face a damaged urban environment . Supplies: Aid workers in Syria carry the flag of the Red Crescent movement, which is part of the Red Cross organisation . Treatment: Medics in Syria treat an injured man . It’s . easy for refugees to be seen in two dimensional terms – a mass of . people, a problem, so often a political hot potato. This work will . challenge that.' Patrice Shema, a former refugee from Rwanda, participated in the project and said: 'That sense of being a refugee is so strong. It’s been so many years, it stays raw, always there. 'I don’t regret it though. It makes you feel more determined to make a home for yourself.' The centerpiece of the anniversary exhibition will be portraits of refugees by Paul Conroy, who was working with Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin when she was killed in Syria last year. He said: 'This project has brought my own experience of recording conflicts over almost two decades, full-circle. Refugees are so often faceless in our minds. These portraits show their individuality.' Portrait: This photograph, by war photojournalist Paul Conroy, shows Bassil, who lives in Edinburgh with his family after fleeing Syria . Individuality: This portrait by Mr Conroy shows Hasan Mohammad Abdalla, who fled Syria in 2011 and now lives in Lewisham, south east London . Exhibition: The Red Cross anniversary celebration includes a theatre event called Seeking Sanctuary .
November 2013 . It is an organisation which has organisation, and has been involved in virtually anniversary, the movement, currently active in Iraq, has used the date to highlight the plight of refugees to the rest of the world. History: was founded by . Swiss businessman Henry Dunant, recent decades were in the Hungarian revolution