In 1863, from October 26 to 29, an International Conference was held in Geneva, convened by the International Committee for Relief to Wounded Soldiers, that group of five men — the offspring of the Geneva Public Welfare Society — which later assumed the title of International Committee of the Red Cross. An invitation had been sent out on September 1, followed a fortnight later by a “Supplement to the Convocation to an International Conference in Geneva”, the initiative for which had been taken by Dunant and Basting in Berlin.

The 31 people who responded and who attended the meeting at the Palais de l'Athénée were met by Dufour, Dunant, Moynier, Appia and Maunoir. Sixteen States and four philanthropic societies were represented. Justice demands that tribute be paid to the participants for it was they who, fired by the enthusiasm of the five Genevese, implanted the Red Cross in their countries. They were:

The Council of Delegates,

having with deep satisfaction taken note of the Reports submitted on the occasion of the Centenary of the Red Cross,

thanks the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League and each National Society for the humanitarian work which they have accomplished since their foundation and which to the honour of the Red Cross Movement has greatly expanded in recent years.

The 1963 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the International Committee of the Red Cross jointly with the League of Red Cross Societies. These glad tidings were announced to the ICRC by the following telegram sent from Oslo, on October 10, 1963.

In the Yemen the International Committee of the Red Cross is confronted with a particularly difficult task. Intervention is required in a country difficult of access, almost completely without modern means of communication and the population of which has long been isolated from the rest of the world. The war which has been going on for over a year continues to produce its harvest of victims which it is up to the Red Cross movement to assist, for the Red Cross was founded one hundred years ago with the primary task of alleviating suffering caused by armed conflict. Yet, in the Yemen today, conditions are such that victims in vast regions of the country are left completely abandoned.

We have learnt with deep regret of the sudden death of Mrs. R.-M. Frick-Cramer, who played an important rôle in the world of the Red Cross.

The last issue of the International Review contained an article on the book which Mr. Pierre Boissier has just had published: Histoire du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge. The first volume, in French, is available from the Editions Plon, Paris. The German edition is still being prepared.