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Red Cross Conferences
In August, 1946, I came for the first time into
intimate contact with international Red Cross work
and its wider fields of activity. The International
Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva called a
preparatory conference to discuss with representatives
of the local and national Red Cross societies the
problems at hand, and to make preparations for the
regular International Red Cross Conference planned
to take place in 1948.
Before I went to the conference, I had discussed
with my colleagues of the Swedish Red Cross and
also with representatives of the American Red Cross
whom I met during a trip in America, questions
concerning the future organization and activities of
the International Committee.
The history of the organization is, on the whole,
well known. It started in 1859 on the battlefield
of Solferino, during the war between France and
Austria, when Henri Dunant of Switzerland was
inspired by a burning desire to do something to
humanize war. He wanted to awaken people to the
realization that belligerent nations ought to be
obliged in caring for wounded and sick soldiers to give
the same help to friend and foe. In 1865, the first
Geneva Conference took place. The juridical basis
for the world-spanning concept of the Red Cross was
formed here. In order to insure the observance of
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