Description:
(Swiss Humanitarian, Businessman and Co-Founder of the 'Red Cross')
Henry Dunant or Jean Henri Dunant was a Swiss social and peace activist who founded the Red Cross and was the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize along with a French peacemaker Frederic Passy. Durant had a life that was the opposite of the rags to riches story. His life started from the home of nobility and ended up at a hospice in a small village. It encompassed the fame of giving rise to international bodies for caring of the soldiers wounded in battle to the obscurity of being shunned by all. He remained in the hospice in the obscure village till he was rediscovered and heaped with honors after many years. He was born with a silver spoon but died a pauper. He invested in a company but lost all his fortune by neglecting his business while being busy with humanitarian work. He had to dine on crumbs of bread, sleep on the pavements when he had no money. After settling his debts he left the remaining amount to his relatives and to charitable organizations. Some of this money was also used to reserve a free bed for poor patients in the hospice where he spent his last days.
Birthday
May 8, 1828 (Taurus)
Alternative names
Jean-Henri Dunant, Henri Dunant
City
Geneva, Switzerland
Died on
October 30, 1910
Parents
Jean-Jacques Dunant
Antoinette Dunant-Colladon
What inspired Henry Dunant to establish the Red Cross?
Henry Dunant was inspired to establish the Red Cross after witnessing the suffering of wounded soldiers at the Battle of Solferino in 1859.
How did Henry Dunant's experiences at the Battle of Solferino lead to the creation of the Geneva Convention?
Henry Dunant's experiences at the Battle of Solferino led to the creation of the Geneva Convention because he was appalled by the lack of medical care for wounded soldiers, prompting him to advocate for the establishment of international laws to protect the sick and wounded during conflicts.
What is the significance of Henry Dunant's book "A Memory of Solferino?"
Henry Dunant's book "A Memory of Solferino" is significant because it not only documented the horrific scenes he witnessed during the battle but also laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Red Cross and the Geneva Convention.
How did Henry Dunant contribute to the founding of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement?
Henry Dunant contributed to the founding of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by co-founding the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1863, which aimed to provide aid to wounded soldiers regardless of their nationality.
What impact did Henry Dunant's humanitarian work have on the development of international humanitarian law?
Henry Dunant's humanitarian work had a significant impact on the development of international humanitarian law as it laid the foundation for the Geneva Conventions, which established rules for the humane treatment of wounded and sick individuals during armed conflicts.
