On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions (GCs), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in cooperation with the Embassy of Switzerland in Iran and the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a photo exhibition on the history of the GCs as well as the history of cooperation between Iran and the ICRC at the IPIS convention center.

The opening ceremony of the photo exhibition was held with the presence of distinguished guests from diplomatic missions, researchers, and concerned officials at the IPIS center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 13, 2025.

The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are international agreements that contain the most important rules restricting unnecessary violence in times of war.

The aim of these conventions is to protect persons who are not participating in the conflict or are no longer able to participate in the war for reasons such as injuries.

Appreciating the close cooperation of the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swiss Embassy in Iran in co-organizing this exhibition, Vincent Cassard, Head of the ICRC delegation in Iran acknowledged the existing violations against implementation of the GCs at times of conflicts, including those in the Middle East, and emphasized on the importance of states making a more serious commitment to these conventions ensuring humane treatment of civilians.

The exhibition displays some historical documents of activities that began in the 19th century and eventually led to the ratification of the Geneva Conventions in the 20th century.

It is also a visual report of Iran’s activities to join to the Geneva Conventions and cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as the guardian of these conventions.

The exhibition is an opportunity for the diplomatic community and researchers to become better acquainted with the history of ratification of the Geneva Conventions and their importance in wars and conflicts for the protection of civilians.

The exhibition is the first part of a joint program. The second part of the program will include a dialogue between researchers and scholars in the field of international law, Geneva Conventions, and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which will be held next week.