How did Red Cross start?
Henry Dunant, a Swiss banker travelling on business in northern Italy in 1859, witnessed the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino – a horrifying and bloody conflict between 300,000 soldiers from Imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian Alliance. Moved by the appalling injuries suffered by the young men he rallied local villagers to assist and tend the wounded. In 1863 he founded the International Committee of the Red Cross. More than 140 years later there are 186 National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies around the world.
