History of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

History of the International Committee of the Red Cross

From 1863 to modern times, in sections: founding and early years of the Red Cross, First World War, between 1918 and 1939, Second World War.

Key document | History of the ICRC as seen by the media | ICRC publication | International Review of the Red Cross | Photo Collection | More in this section |

The ICRC has received the Nobel Peace Prize three times - most recently in 1963, jointly with the League of Red Cross Societies.©ICRC/ref HIST-03537-04
©ICRC/ref HIST-03537-04

Growing from one man's spontaneous gesture to help wounded soldiers, to become an organization reaching out to millions of war victims around the world, the ICRC has worked in most of the major crises of the past 140 years.

Hand in hand with its operational activities have been its efforts to develop the laws governing armed conflicts, so as to ensure greater protection for those who do not, or who no longer, take part in fighting; the ICRC and the Geneva Conventions are inextricably linked.

See also:



ICRC archives


History of international humanitarian law


History of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

More articles on ICRC history can be found in the International Review of the Red Cross
Key document