The roots of the International Movement of Red Cross and Red Crescent go as far back as June 26th, 1859, when at Solferin in Northern Italy the French - Sardinian and Austrian armies clashed. Without help from anybody, on the battlefield were left tens of thousands of heavily wounded and killed soldiers. Shaken by this scene, a businessman from Geneve ANRI DINAN organized the local citizens to volunteer to help those who survived, no matter which side they fought for, with the motto TUTTI FRATELLI - ALL ARE BROTHERS.

Anri Dinan,the founder of International Red Cross

Three years later, in 1862, Anri Dinan published a book Solferino Reminacences, where he described the events on the battlefield and where he presented the idea that in all the counrties the Committees for helping the wounded should be established, which would work both during the war and in peace.

The book made a big stir in public. In February 1863 in Geneve a 5-member board was established with a goal to realize the Didan's idea under the name of the International Committee for Helping the Wounded. This later became the International Committee of Red Cross.

Towards the end of October 1863 on the International Geneve Convention the Red Cross Movement was founded. The three conclusions were accepted: the boards are to be established in all the countries, which are to help the military medics during the war, and prepare the material and educate during peace. There will be the central Governing board and local organizations throughout the country. The boards will work in accordance with the government, and the memebers will wear the sign - the red cross on the white surface. The connection with the boards, which will meet at the international meetings, will be realized through the Geneve Board of Five. Besides, The Conference recommended that the countries should proclaim neutrality of military medics, which became the basis for concluding of the first Geneve Convention on Protecting the Wounded in war. The Convention in accordance with such recomendations was concluded already on August 22nd, 1864. There were changes to the Convention in years that followed, and in 1874 on Brusseles Conference it gained its final version. It was accepted by most of the European countries.

Today there are four Geneve Conventions which protect:
- wounded and sick on land,
- wounded, shipwrecked and sick on the see,
- war prisoners,
- civilians during the war.

The International Committee of Red Cross continues to help the war victims.

Since the beginning of the Red Cross as a humanitarian organization, the founders of this Movement tried to define the basic directions of work. Today, the International Movement of Red Cross and Red Crescent functions by applying seven basic Principles which supplement the Principles of the Internatonal Humanitarian Law, formulated on the 20th International Conference of Red Cross, held in Vienna in 1965.