Italian Red Cross

The Italian Red Cross (Croce Rossa Italiana in Italian) is the Italian national Red Cross society that has its origin in the Comitato dell'Associazione Italiana per il soccorso ai feriti ed ai malati in guerra that was formed in in Florence in 1863, and in Milan on June 15, 1864. Other committees were formed later. The Italian Red Cross was one of the original founding members of the International Red Cross in 1919. .

The American Red Cross has long been active in Italy, working in cooperation with the Italian Red Cross. Ernest Hemingway worked for the American Red Cross in Italy in 1918. The American Red Cross continues to have an office in Naples, Italy.

Presently, the Italian Red Cross has the status of a sovra-national charitable organization, under the high patronage of the President of the Italian Republic. The Italian Red Cross is currently a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Doctor Massimo Barra was elected President of the Italian Red Cross on December 11, 2005.

Italian Red Cross vehicles bear special license plates.

Components
The Italian Red Cross is comprised of the following components:
 * Corpo militare - Military corps
 * Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie - Voluntary nurses
 * Volontari del Soccorso - Voluntary of First Aid
 * Comitato Femminile - Women's Committee
 * Pionieri - Pioneers
 * Donatori del Sangue - Blood Donors