Founding of the Red Cross. In 1864, 12 nations gathered in Geneva adopted the “Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded Soldiers in War.” The agreement, championed by Swiss benefactor Jean-Henri Dunant, called for the care, without discrimination, of the sick and wounded in wartime and required the neutrality of medical personnel. The agreement proposed the adoption of an international emblem to identify medical personnel and supplies. In honor of Dunant and his country, a red cross on a white background was chosen—the Swiss flag with the colors reversed. In 1901, Dunant received the first Nobel Peace Prize.
