In a previous issue, International Review set out the moral and, for the ICRC, fundamental, reasons spurring it to tackle this problem at the international level. The legal standards were described in general terms, but should now be gone into in greater detail.

Not only did the second world war lay waste large areas and virtually destroy economic life; it also left in its wake bitterness and hatred together with fundamental ideological differences. Even the very first attempts at reuniting families demonstrated their pacifying effects. Such reunited families completely forgot the hardships of the wartime and post-war periods and once more looked to the future, starting with the rebuilding of their lives.

The English title “Voluntary service”, which heads this chapter of the Proclamation and of this Commentary, is better than the French title “Caractère bénévole” (“Benevolent character”) which was adopted. In modern French language, the term “bénévoles” refers to persons who work without being paid, who donate their services.

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania on 6 February, the Gabonese Republic on 20 February, and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas on 6 March 1980 sent the Swiss Government their instruments of accession to the two Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

During their State visit to Switzerland, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and H. R. H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva on 30 April. The royal couple were accompanied by Federal Councillor Mr. Pierre Aubert and Mrs. Aubert.

A bust of Henry Dunant was inaugurated in Geneva on 2 June. It stands at the entrance to the old town. It is a sober and elegant work representing Dunant in the prime of life and was sculptured by Luc Jaggi, a Genevese artist who died a few years ago. The base bears the following simple inscription: “Henry Dunant, 1828-1910, founder of the Red Cross”.

Under the London Agreements signed in December 1979, Zimbabwe became independent on 18 April 1980. With the end of the conflict the ICRC, which for many years had been active not only in the capital, Harare (formerly Salisbury), but also in the rest of the country and in a number of neighbouring States affected by the repercussions of the fighting, began gradually to phase out some of its activities (mainly medical and relief programmes), depending on developments of the local situation. Discussions are now taking place with the government, the National Red Cross Society and various welfare organizations on the practical measures to be adopted for handing over certain projects which had been until now under ICRC responsibility and are still necessary for the inhabitants' welfare.