In 1859, Swiss business man, Henry Dunant was horrified to see the aftermath of a battle where thousands of wounded men were left laying on the battlefield with no one to help them. Dunant immediately set to work organising local people to help care for the sick and wounded.
Afterwards Dunant suggested that a relief organisation should be established to care for the sick and wounded after a battle. He also suggested that treaties should be drawn up to guarantee that wounded soldiers, medics and those caring for the wounded should have a protected status.
After considering the feasibility of his idea Dunant invited representatives from foreign countries to Geneva to discuss his idea. 36 delegates representing Baden, Bavaria, France, Britain, Hanover, Hesse, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and Spain attended the conference and on October 29th 1859 a document was signed which provided for:
1. The foundation of national relief societies for wounded soldiers;
2. Neutrality and protection for wounded soldiers;
3. The utilization of volunteer forces for relief assistance on the battlefield;
4. The organization of additional conferences to enact these concepts in legally binding international treaties;
5. The introduction of a common distinctive protection symbol for medical personnel in the field, namely a white armlet bearing a red cross.
The following year the Swiss government invited representatives from European countries as well as United States, Brazil, and Mexico and at the end of the conference the first Geneva Convention was signed.
Dunant was declared bankrupt in 1867 having put all his energies into setting up the Red Cross his business interests had failed and he was forced to leave Geneva amid the scandal. In 1901 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
