The Red Cross was born from the ashes of the Battle of Solferino in 1859. This battle was fought between French and Austrian warriors in Italy. About 6 lakh warriors took part in this war. After the end of the war, about 40 thousand sick, wounded and dying warriors were left to their fate and were waiting for their death on the battlefield. At that time, a Swiss citizen Jean Henry Dunant, who was passing by that side on his journey, saw the warriors in a bad condition. Then Henry Dunant postponed his journey and organized a relief committee there and took care of the sick and injured patients.
Henry Dunant then returned to his hometown ‘Geneva’ and wrote a book ‘Memory of Sol Ferino’. In this book, all the depictions of the war and the evils caused by the war were described with utmost honesty and clarity. This book was published in 1862 and was read all over the world. Not only this, in this book Sir Henry Dunant also discussed some solutions, two of which were praised all over the world:-
1. Relief committees should be formed in all countries which provide medical services and relief work during war.
2. An international law should be made which protects injured patients and warriors.
In October 1863, an international conference was held in Geneva in which 14 nations participated and Henry Dunant’s proposals were considered and only a year later, 12 nations again held a meeting in Geneva in August 1864. This meeting is famous as the first Geneva Conference and Mother Convention. It is considered to be the world’s first Red Cross meeting.