 Henry
Dunant (1828 - 1910) Founder of International Red Cross
While visiting Northern Italy in 1859, Henry Dunant, a Swiss
businessman, witnessed the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino,
a battle between French-Sardinian and Austrian armies. He
rallied local townswomen to assist the wounded and dying
soldiers, regardless of their nationality. Haunted by the
cruelty and inhumanity to the 40,000 dead and wounded on the
battlefield, Dunant was moved to write a pamphlet, A Memory
of Solferino (1862), in which he asked: "Would it not
be possible to found and organize in all civilized countries
permanent societies of volunteers which in time of war would
render succor to the wounded without distinction of
nationality?" His text influenced government officials and
led to the formation of a "Committee of Five" (1863),
a group known today as the International Committee of the Red
Cross. His text also influenced the drafting of the First Treaty
of Geneva of 1864, providing for the protection of the wounded
and sick on the battlefield. In 1901, Dunant was one of two
winners of the first Nobel Peace prize in honor of his
contribution to humanitarian efforts and the International Red
Cross. He died penniless in 1910 in a Swiss mountain village.
The anniversary of his birth, May 8, 1828, continues to be
celebrated as World Red Cross Day.
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