Founded by Swiss businessman Henri Dunant, the
Red Cross Movement is established upon the principles of providing
aid during times of war. On June 24, 1859,
Dunant witnessed the Battle of Solferino – when the Austrian Army
engaged the allied army of France and Sardinia at the Northern
Italian village of Solferino._ The
casualties were high – with over 40,000 soldiers killed or wounded
on both sides, while corpses were spread in fields across the
country._ Dunant, utterly shocked
by the sight, rallied the villagers of nearby city Castiglione
del Stiviere to provide aid and assistance for the wounded soldiers
to the best of their abilities._ He
also transformed a local church into a temporary medical facility,
while requesting the Chief Medic of the French Army to release
several Austrian medical personnel to assist in the humanitarian
effort._ Furthermore, he encouraged
the medical personnel from both sides to treat patients impartially,
regardless of their nationality and affiliation.
After his efforts at Solferino, Dunant published
“A Memory of Solferino”._ In the
book, he outlined two famous suggestions: 1. to establish volunteer
organizations providing wartime medical aid in every nation, 2.
to recognize their neutrality through legally binding international
treaties.
With the help from a number of leading individuals
in Geneva, Henri Dunant founded the “ International Committee
for Relief to the Wounded” in 1863 (renamed “The International
Committee of the Red Cross” in 1875)._ In
order to achieve its primary goal of “neutrality”, the committee
persuaded nations to treat wounded military soldiers and medical
aid personnel as “neutral”, instead of “hostile”, while providing
them with respect and protection._ The
idea of “neutrality” is also integrated into a legally binding
international treaty to establish a monitoring system against
any violations.
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In support of the movement, the Swiss Government
hosted an international conference in 1864 in which 12 countries
signed the “Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition
of the Wounded in Armies in the Field”._
It was also decided that the symbol of a Red Cross on a
white background would be used symbolize medical aid for wounded
soldiers on the battlefield._ This
symbol became a cornerstone of the Red Cross Movement.
Even before Dunant, such individuals as Florence Nightingale
had already engaged in providing medical aid on the battlefield._
However, Dunant was the first person to transfer the concept
of humanitarianism and compassion for human suffering from its theoretical
origins into legal contexts._ He also
pioneered the movement to compile wartime humanitarian efforts into
the influential International Humanitarian Law in order to better
regulate modern warfare._ Thus, the
greatness of Henri Dunant lies in his respect for people's rights
to live, and in his vision to treat the suffering without prejudice
and discrimination.
The symbol of the Red Cross is a unique, worldwide
symbol recognized by governments around the world as an icon of
humanitarianism._ For over 100 years,
the Red Cross symbol has been present in countless battlefields
and areas afflicted by natural disasters, providing a hope for
survival and rescue for victims in distress.
The meaning and use of the Red Cross symbol
consist of the two areas below:
Symbolic: Indicates that the subject is related
to the Red Cross Movement._ The symbol's
use has been continuously recognized by the international community,
and is legally binding.
Protective: The symbol provides protection for
personnel and facilities involved in providing aid and medical
assistance during wartime._ It identifies
that the personnel or facility is protected under the Geneva Convention,
and should not be attacked.
The Red Cross on a white background, a direct
opposite of the colors on the Swiss flag, expresses respect for
the origin of the Red Cross Movement – Switzerland._
The Red Crescent symbol is used in place of the Red Cross
in Islamic nations, with equivalent meaning, usage and legal status.
In order to maintain public respect for the
Red Cross symbol, volunteers of the Society must understand its
usage and application._ It can only
be used with the Society's expressed permission.
