This article examines the violence of war from a temporal point of view, looking at various contemporary conflicts from a long-term perspective involving three kinds of time: “historical” time, “traditional” time and “mythical” time. It thus provides some elements that help explain the length of these conflicts, but also their deeper nature. In particular, it casts douht on the appropriateness of the term “ethnic war”, which has been used to characterize some of them. The hypothetical model presented here focuses on Africa, but it could also he applied to conflict zones in other parts of the world.

The focus of attention with regard to “child soldiers” has tended to be on abducted children or those forced or coerced into fighting. When asked, however, many children and young people themselves say that they volunteered. Moreover, when negotiating the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on involvement of children in armed conflict, some governments claimed the right to continue to recruit volunteers under the age of 18 and indeed still do so, although others have raised their minimum age for recruitment.

Protéger la dignité humaine est à la fois un objectif simple et un défi immense. L'objectif est simple parce qu'il est au cœur du droit et de l'action humanitaires. Le défi est immense en raison des multiples menaces qui planent sur l'être humain et sur l'humanité tout entière, en particulier de la nature des conflits armés contemporains.

Today, I speak on behalf of our 181 National Societies around the world that make up the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. I also speak on behalf of the millions of volunteers and members who every day work selflessly to protect the lives, livelihoods and dignity of vulnerable people everywhere. They are indispensable in our efforts to build a better world. So, I consider it an honour, and a responsibility to be before you today. I hope I can convey clearly the strong sense of solidarity and unity among the members of the International Federation in our collective commitment to the theme of this Conference “Protecting human dignity”.

It is an honour and a great pleasure for me to welcome you on behalf of the Standing Commission to the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. I am delighted to see so many participants gathered here this evening. It is of particular value and importance at a time when we live in a polarized, anxious world with so much suffering. A troubled world far removed from the high humanitarian ideals of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.