▁Red ▁Cross ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁Cross ▁em blem ▁was ▁officially ▁approved ▁in ▁Gene va ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁Cross ▁flag ▁is ▁not ▁to ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁Saint ▁George ' s ▁Cross ▁which ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁flag ▁of ▁England , ▁Barcelona , ▁Georgia , ▁Fre ib urg ▁im ▁Bre is g au , ▁and ▁several ▁other ▁places . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁this ▁confusion ▁the ▁protected ▁symbol ▁is ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" G reek ▁Red ▁Cross " ▁( now ▁H ellen ic ▁Red ▁Cross ); ▁that ▁term ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁in ▁United ▁States ▁law ▁to ▁describe ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross . ▁The ▁red ▁cross ▁of ▁the ▁Saint ▁George ▁cross ▁extends ▁to ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁flag , ▁whereas ▁the ▁red ▁cross ▁on ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁flag ▁does ▁not . ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁Cross ▁flag ▁is ▁the ▁colour - switch ed ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Flag ▁of ▁Switzerland . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁to ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁argument ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁that ▁the ▁flag ▁took ▁its ▁roots ▁from ▁Christian ity , ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁promote ▁officially ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁flag ▁had ▁been ▁formed ▁by ▁revers ing ▁the ▁federal ▁colours ▁of ▁Switzerland , ▁although ▁no ▁clear ▁evidence ▁of ▁this ▁origin ▁had ▁ever ▁been ▁found . ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁em blem ▁was ▁first ▁used ▁by ▁IC RC ▁volunte ers ▁during ▁the ▁armed ▁conflict ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 6 –