Red Cross

As Haiti once again sizes up the massive post-disaster cleanup ahead of them, many of us who missed Hurricane Matthew are anxious to learn how we can help.

In 1864, the Swiss government, driven by a humanitarian vision, extended an invitation to the governments of Europe and the United States to participate in a diplomatic conference in Geneva. This historic gathering was convened against the backdrop of increasing concern over the horrors and brutalities of war, particularly the suffering of wounded soldiers who were often left unattended on battlefields. On August 22, 1864, this assembly of nations reached a groundbreaking agreement that would forever change the conduct of warfare: the adoption of the first Geneva Convention, officially titled "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field."