Every year on June 14, World Blood Donor Day is celebrated. In May 2005, during the World Health Assembly, health ministers from various countries unanimously adopted a statement of commitment and support for voluntary blood donation. The date is linked to the birthday of Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943) — an Austrian physician and immunologist, Nobel laureate, who discovered human blood groups. World Blood Donor Day is a special date celebrated in honor of voluntary blood donors. The goals of this event are to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and, of course, to express gratitude to donors who voluntarily and without compensation provide their blood to save human lives. The day is coordinated by the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Society of Blood Transfusion, and the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations. Events of the Day involve 193 UN member states, 186 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, dozens of voluntary donor organizations, and numerous blood transfusion specialists from all over the world. Every second, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world need blood transfusions for life-saving reasons. Blood transfusions and blood products save millions of lives every year. While the need for blood is universal, access to it for those who need it is unfortunately not. The shortage of blood is especially acute in developing countries, where the majority of the world's population lives. Moreover, each year, emergencies around the world threaten the lives and health of millions of people. In the past decade, disasters have claimed more than 1 million lives and affect over 250 million people annually. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes create significant needs for emergency medical care. Man-made disasters, as well as road accidents and armed conflicts, also create large demands for medical assistance and first-line therapy. Blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency medical care. In emergency situations, the need for blood transfusion increases, and its implementation becomes more challenging. To form sufficient stocks of donor blood in case of emergencies, well-organized blood services are necessary. Each year, about 118.5 million blood donations are registered worldwide, with about half coming from high-income countries, which comprise 16% of the world's population. Thus, 62 countries ensure 100% of their blood supplies thanks to voluntary, unpaid donors.