History

Young Swiss businessman, Jean Henry Dunant was appalled by the condition of the wounded he happened to see in the battle field of Solferino, Italy in 1859 during the Franco - Austrian war. He immediately arranged relief services with the help of the local community. Based on this experience, he wrote the book 'Memory of Solferino' suggesting that a neutral organization be established to aid the wounded soldiers in times of war. Within a least period of time, this book was being read and discussed across Europe. A year after the release of this book, an International Conference was convened in Geneva to consider the suggestions of Henry Dunant, and thus the Red Cross Movement was born. The International Red Cross Movement was established by the Geneva Convention of 1864.

The name and the emblem of the movement are derived from the reversal of the Swiss national flag, to honor the country in which Red Cross was founded.