Today marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the first Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. The convention, which was signed among 12 countries, including Switzerland, on 22 August ,1864, is the foundation of modern international humanitarian law, which regulates the conduct of armed conflict and seeks to limit its effects.

Nepal minister of law Narahari Acharya launches the ‘International Review of the Red Cross’ at the function ©ICRC

ICRC Nepal marked the occasion by organizing a discussion on Contemporary Challenges to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Kathmandu on 12 August. The Kathmandu event was organized by the ICRC in coordination with the National IHL Committee of Nepal. Narahari Acharya, minister of law, justice, constituent assembly and parliamentary affairs, Government of Nepal, was the chief guest on the occasion. Dragana Kojic, head of the ICRC delegation in Kathmandu, delivered the welcome remarks at the discussion, chaired by Bhesh Raj Sharma, secretary, ministry of law, Government of Nepal. ICRC regional legal adviser Charles Sabga spoke on contemporary challenges to IHL.

The International Review of the Red Cross, themed ‘ICRC: 150 years of humanitarian action’ was launched on the occasion by the Nepal minister of law. This issue of the Review is a special edition that reflects on 150 years of humanitarian action, with contributions from key personalities sharing their perspective on the organization and the contemporary challenges to humanitarian action. Acharya spoke about the significance of IHL and the First Geneva Convention after launching the publication.

Chairman of Nepal Red Cross Society, member secretary of the National IHL Committee and the Swiss ambassador to Nepal also addressed the audience. The event was attended by around 60 distinguished participants representing various ministries and agencies of the Government of Nepal, the security forces, academic institutions, human rights organizations, Red Cross Movement partners and the media.

The event concluded with an interactive session in which participants were given the opportunity to ask questions on IHL to the experts present.

Click here to hear ICRC Director-General Yves Daccord’s message on this day: “We need to fight for these ideas”

Click here for an animated feature film on international humanitarian law: Rules of war (in a nutshell)

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