During October, the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) in Spain, held a series of blood drives, as part of the 8th International Marathon: Life is in the Blood.

Seville, Barcelona and Tarragona, were the cities where the Peace Activists promoted campaigns aimed to encouraging a culture of voluntary, altruistic and habitual blood donations.

Educational institutions, the Super 3 Club festival, the Bellvitge Hospital in Barcelona, ​​the Blood and Tissue Bank in Catalonia, and the Fortuny Theater were the places where the blood drives were held.

Awareness Talks

At the Faculty of Law and Philology at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, on the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of October, administrative staff, professors and students joined the campaign by voluntarily donating blood. 

At the Faculty of Law and Philology at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, on the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of October, administrative staff, professors and students joined the campaign by voluntarily donating blood. 

The work carried out by the GEAP and the Blood Transfusion Center in Seville, showed attendees that donating blood is an act of kindness and fraternity that can save the lives of those who need a transfusion.

Recreational activities

The Activists for Peace joined the information stand of the Blood and Tissue Bank of Catalonia, which remained open for two days at the Super 3 Club Festival held at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic, Barcelona.

The event, which brings together more than 20,000 people, allowed the GEAP to give talks about the importance of being a voluntary donor. About 4,000 children enjoyed recreational activities, which revolved around this altruistic act.

With the strategies implemented, more anonymous heroes participated in this blood donation campaign; this action allowed citizens to make an important contribution to society.

Benefits of donating blood

The Bellvitge Hospital in Barcelona and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona opened their doors to the GEAP on October 12^th, 13^th and 14^th to join the 8^th International Blood Donation Marathon

Through awareness talks, GEAP volunteers presented to the community and university students the benefits of becoming a voluntary and habitual donor, and how they can save the lives of others.

Adding Volunteers

The Blood and Tissue Bank of Catalonia in the city of Reus, the City of Reus, the Federation of Blood Donors, the GEAP and the Red Cross sponsored the blood drives that were carried out in the town.

The volunteers of the GEAP carried out promotional work and invited the population to participate in the drive. During 2016, the Reus campaign exceeded the figures of the previous drive, reaching a total of 911 effective units.

Goal exceeded

The Fortuny Theater of the city, counted with an attendance of more than 1,000 people who voluntarily arrived to donate blood, 800 of which were accepted.

Country music, Gegants Vitxets, ReuSamba, Banda de Cornetes i Tambors la Misericòrdia and the Band of Cornetes i Tambors de Sant Pere Apòstol, enlivened the event.

Virgina Callao, territorial director of the Blood Bank and Teixits of Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre, said that the drive managed to cover the expectations of the blood bank, thanks to the publicity that GEAP volunteers gave to the activity.

"Without you it would be impossible to do this, you are all helping us at different points in the journey, making donors feel protected, so I am grateful to all the volunteers who are here today with us," said Virginia Callao.

Spain's Peace Activists continue to hold blood drives throughout the nation to increase the list of voluntary, altruistic and regular donors of safe blood, blood that can save the lives of many people.