The Birthday of Henry Dunant and the Development of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Henry Dunant was born on May 8, 1828, in Geneva, Switzerland. As of 2025, 197 years have passed since his birth. He was a Swiss businessman and humanitarian who played a key role in the foundation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In 1859, Dunant witnessed the terrible suffering of wounded soldiers during the Battle of Solferino in Italy. He saw that there was not enough medical help and many people died without care. This experience had a deep effect on him. After returning home, he wrote a book called A Memory of Solferino, where he described the events and proposed the creation of neutral organizations to assist wounded soldiers during war.
His ideas led to the creation of the ICRC in 1863. In 1864, the first Geneva Convention was signed, establishing international rules to protect wounded soldiers and medical workers in conflict zones.
Since then, the ICRC has grown into a worldwide organization. It works in war zones and during natural disasters, providing medical help, food, and support to people in need. The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is now active in nearly every country.
In 1901, Henry Dunant received the first Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. His work laid the foundation for one of the most respected humanitarian organizations in history.
Kadyrmyrat OVEZGYLYJOV,
the 3rd year student of the Faculty of International
Law of the Institute of International Relations
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.