In 1859 a young Swiss businessman saw something which was to change his life and influence the course of history. The young man was Henry Dunant who witnesses the carnage following the Battle of Solferino, in Italy. He was deeply moved by the dreadful suffering of the wounded from both sides who were left largely uncared for. This appalling scene was the birthplace of a magnificent human idea. Henry saw every country creating a body of trained volunteers who would care impartially for the wounded of all sides, protected by international agreement. His vision led directly to the founding of the Red Cross, the signing of the First Geneva Convention, and the adoption of the Red Cross, and later the Red Crescent, as an international symbol of protection. Today the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest voluntary organization, with a global membership close to 250, 000, 000 and a National Society in almost every country of the world.
    1859年，一位年輕的瑞士商人目睹了一件后來注定改變其人生并影響人類歷史進程的事情。這位青年名叫亨利·杜農特。在意大利，他目擊了索菲林諾戰(zhàn)斗之后的殺傷慘景。雙方大批的受傷者得不到照顧而痛苦無比的景象深深地震撼了他的心靈。正是這一駭人的場面孕育了一個人類的偉大思想。亨利設想在國際協(xié)議的保護下，每個國家都建立一個由受過培訓的、愿意公平照顧各方受傷人員的志愿者團體。他的這個設想直接促成了紅十字協(xié)會的成立，首個日內瓦公約的簽署，以及將紅十字（及后來的紅新月）定為人身保護的國際標志的決定。今天，國際紅十字會以及紅新月運動已成為世界上為龐大的志愿者組織。它擁有2.5億名會員，幾乎世界上所有國家都有一個協(xié)會。