1864 - The official start

A year later, the Swiss Federal Government convened a Diplomatic Conference composed of authorized government representatives. This conference approved the Committee's proposal on August 22, 1864, and the representatives of 12 countries solemnly signed the first "Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Conditions of the Wounded in the Armies in War in the Field. This officially recognized the Red Cross and, thanks to the Red Cross, created the humanitarian law that protected war victims and would save countless lives in the following years. The Belgian Government was among the first signatories.

click here for the full version of the first treaty

For his work, Henri Dunant was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. Later, the Red Cross would receive the Nobel Prize three more times.

The 12 countries:

Grand Duchy of Baden (now Germany)
Kingdom of Belgium
Kingdom of Denmark
French Empire
Grand Duchy of Hesse (now Germany)
Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Prussia (now Germany)
Kingdom of Spain
Swiss Confederation
Kingdom of Württemberg (now Germany)
Norway and Sweden signed in December 1864.