Foundation of Red Cross
In 1859, French-Sardinian alliance and Austrians fought battle of Solferino, a small town in Northern Italy. After the ward was over, more than 40,000 soldiers who were either dead or wounded lay in the battlefield, unattended. Moved by the sight, Henry Dunant a Swiss businessman who happened to be there, organised relief with help of local villagers. His narration of Solferino tragedy in a book, caught attention of fellow Swiss humanists – Moynier, Appia, Maunoir, and Dufour.
This committee of five, including Dunant, organised an international conference in Geneva. On 29th October 1963, last day of this conference, concept of a volunteer force of medics for wounded soldiers was adopted.
Global reach of Red Cross and Red Cross organisations
Red Cross was initially a singular organisation used out of Geneva. This voluntary organisation was known as International Red-Cross, and now as International Committee of Red-Cross (ICRC). In subsequent years various national Red-cross organisations formed, some of whom choose different symbols.
A red-cross on a white background, reverse of Swiss flag (white cross on a red background) was adopted as a symbol of the first red-cross, and the same symbol has been adopted by various national organisations as well. . Like Swiss philosophy, this was a symbol of neutrality, and an identification so that these medics are spared by the warring sides.
Achievements of the Red Cross movement in initial 50 years (1863-1914)
- First Geneva convention (1864) – First international law for protection of wounded soldiers, medics and other humanists.
- National Red Cross societies form in Belgium, Prussia, Spain, Denmark and France (1864)
- Red Crescent Charity for the wounded in muslim world is founded (1868)
- Name of Red Cross changed to ICRC International Committee of Red Cross (1876)
- Red cross societies formed in many countries. Britain (1870), and American Red Cross (1881) by 1914, 45 countries have such societies.
- First Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Henry Dunant (1901)
- Hague convention, extending Geneva convention to naval warfare is adopted (1907)
Red Cross movement and two world wars
A period of spanning three decades, between 1914 and 1945 was tumulus. In 1914, ICRC established International Prisoners of War Agency (IPWA) to trace PoWs and to establish a communication with their family members. It facilitated prisoner exchanges, and monitored if nations were following Geneva or Hague conventions, and strongly opposed use of chemical weapons. At the end of First World War, ICRC initiated repatriation of PoWs – a task later handed over to the League of Nations. Towards end of the First World War in 1917, ICRC was awarded Nobel Peace Prize. Use of chemical weapons was banned in 1925. Geneva convention was revised in 1929, and now included safeguards for PoWs.
ICRC continued to focus on war-wounded, prisoners of war, and implementation of Geneva and Hague conventions. It was awarded another Nobel Peace Prize in 1948. However, there were many human rights violations in the Second World War, which ICRC was either unaware, or did not warn about. Many civilians were affected by these violations such as in Nazi concentration camps or nuclear-holocaust in Hiroshima-Nagasaki. To address this anomaly, ICRC and United Nations adopted fourth Geneva convention – ensuring protection of civilians in the times of war.
Expanded role of Red Cross and National Red Cross societies
In 1960 there were about 100 national Red Cross or Red crescent societies. Today almost all countries, 192 to be precise have a national society (see list), and International Federation of Red Cross societies (IFRC) is their collective platform. Their symbols extend beyond the cross, to crescent, David’s star, and even a lion . Collectively Red Cross is most celebrated movement in postal stamps.
ICRC received its third Nobel Prize in 1963. Today its work extends much beyond armed conflict or PoWs. The committee also works for disaster relief, education, sexual violence, environment, climate change and dealing with various emergency situations. (See here) Many of these expanded roles are depicted in 125th Anniversary stamps from 1988 below:
