A book about one battlefield led to a movement that spans the world.

After witnessing the suffering of wounded soldiers at Solferino in 1859, Swiss businessman Henry Dunant wrote a book calling for trained volunteers to care for the wounded in war.

In October 1863, delegates gathered in Geneva to act on his idea. On October 29, 1863, they adopted resolutions to form national relief societies, the foundation of what became the Red Cross movement. A year later came the first Geneva Convention.

Today Red Cross and Red Crescent societies help people in war and disaster around the world.

What do you think made Dunant's idea spread so quickly?

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