Some months after the heart-rending appeal of A Memory of Solferino, five Genevese citizens met to put into practice the proposals which Henry Dunant had made at the end of his book. With the exception of General Dufour, these were men of the middle class, without particular authority in their country and without contacts abroad. Nevertheless, they had faith in themselves and in the immense task which they were to undertake. Their discussions revealed uncommon good sense and a very clear perception of their action's possibilities. They were aware of what they could do in 1863, and they left it to future generations to achieve what would have been Utopian in their day. It was therefore with calm assurance that they addressed themselves to Heads of State and to public opinion.

This would seem to be a good moment, in this month of February 1963 when the International Committee is celebrating the hundredth anniversary of its foundation, to publish once more documents of the greatest interest, since they throw light of considerable historic importance on the birth of the Red Cross. The material consists of the first minutes of what was known as the “Comité des Cinq” (Committee of Five), the Committee which was in fact the founder body of the Red Cross. Originally written in French, these were rendered into English by the Translation Section of the ICRC.

On February 17, 1963, the International Committee of the Red Cross will have had a hundred years of existence.

On February 9, 1863, the Public Welfare Society of Geneva met at the instigation of its President, Gustave Moynier, to study the proposals which Henry Dunant had formulated at the end of his book “A Memory of Solferino” : first of all to create already in peace-time aid societies which in time of war would assist the army medical service ; then to conclude an international Convention which would serve as a basis for their action. The Public Welfare Society then appointed from amongst its members a Committee of five, in order to prepare a memorandum on the subject which would be presented to a forthcoming relief congress.

Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions constitutes a striking affirmation of humanitarian protection.

Out of respect which is due to the individual, the States parties to these Conventions have in fact accepted to limit, to a certain extent, their liberty of action as regards their own nationals in the case of internal conflicts. International law has thus managed to penetrate a field hitherto exclusively reserved to internal law and the International Committee of the Red Cross has been especially mentioned as being capable, under certain conditions, of acting as guarantor for such protection.

In view of the fighting which broke out again in Katanga, the International Committee undertook as a matter of urgency the necessary measures of protection and assistance.

As soon as he arrived on the spot on December 21, 1962, Mr. G. C. Senn, delegate of the ICRC, made arrangements with the armed forces of the United Nations to enable the Katanga Red Cross and ambulance men to carry out their action, especially by the issuing of passes to its personnel and by registering ambulances at road-blocks.

President Léopold Boissier, together with his colleagues and staff, yesterday received the Head of the Military Department and Mrs Paul Chaudet, and the Head of the Political Department and Mrs F. T. Wahlen, at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.

The two Swiss federal counsellors and their wives showed great interest in the talks which were given on the recent activities of the ICRC, and they also visited the Central Tracing Agency's card-index.

Between November 14 and December 20 of last year, Mr. Pierre Gaillard, delegate, and Mr. Ibrahim Zreikat, who is in charge of ICRC Arabic broadcasts, visited Cairo, Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and Amman, where they had an audience of His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan, in company with Dr. Abou Qoura, Secretary-General of the Jordan Red Crescent.