Photo exhibition and Conceptual art "Repatriation flight 2023" focusing on repatriation of prisoners of war on the occasion of Holy Defense week in Iranian Red Crescent Society Peace Gallery-October 2023 - ICRC in Iran

The year 2023 marks the 35^th anniversary of the end of the Iran-Iraq war. It started in 1980 and lasted for eight years, one of the longest IACs of the 20^th century. During this war – and up until 1990 – the ICRC was involved in various humanitarian operations, including detention visits, exchange of RCMs, and the repatriation of Prisoners of War(PoWs) and human remains. The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) was also involved in many humanitarian operations in this regard.

According to the International Humanitarian Law or rules of war, throughout the duration of hostilities, parties to the conflict have the option, for instance in cooperation with neutral powers not involved in the conflict, to make arrangements for the accommodation of the sick and wounded PoWs in third countries. And this exhibition specifically focuses on the repatriation operations for the badly sick and wounded Iranian and Iraqi PoWs.

The aim of this exhibition is to commemorate this small but significant part of the 160-year-long history of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s humanitarian activities, and to underscore the indispensable principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence as the fundamentals of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The photos are predominantly photos of repatriation operations of badly wounded and sick PoWs during Iran-Iraq war in 1980s. This exhibition will last till October 11th 2023.