HENRI DUNANT: THE NOBILITY OF REDEMPTION

Henri Dunant

Henri Dunant was 21 years old when, in 1849, he entered the world of finance. At the same time, the young man was deeply committed to religion, driven by a strong attachment to Protestantism. This commitment entailed certain obligations, among them the fight against poverty—particularly that of his own people. Together with several Swiss personalities, he founded a company in 1853 whose aim was to rescue Swiss citizens from poverty by colonizing 20,000 hectares on the edge of Kabylia, in Algeria. He was only 25 at the time.

These lands, granted by the French colonial administration, represented an unexpected opportunity for one hundred families from the canton of Vaud, among the most destitute. Dunant was responsible for identifying suitable candidates for this venture. Yet, as is often the case, reality cares little for human ambitions. The colonies that were established soon collided with the harsh realities of life in these inhospitable lands.

Recurring storms destroyed homes and crops. As if that were not enough, a cholera epidemic and typhoid claimed more than a third of the inhabitants. The colonial undertaking upon which so many hopes had rested ended in bitter failure.

The turning point

In 1856, he launched a new enterprise: the Société Anonyme des Moulins de Mons-Djemila. That same year, he traveled to Tunisia for a six-month stay. There, he was struck by the generosity and openness of the society he encountered. Tunisians, along with Italian, Andalusian, French, and Maltese minorities, lived together peacefully. He witnessed the abolition of the enslavement of Black people, a practice that had also existed in these lands. The humanism shown by his hosts profoundly moved him and marked a decisive turning point: in his hierarchy of priorities, the human being now occupied a privileged place.

It was in this spirit that he traveled to Piedmont as a tourist, in the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in 1859. He was appalled by the number of wounded—more than 30,000 (with 6,000 dead)—and even more by the poor quality of the relief provided. He remained on site to assist nurses in caring for the victims, regardless of their side. Traumatized by this event, the young man self-published the book A Memory of Solferino, in which he laid the foundations for what would later become the International Committee of the Red Cross. Meanwhile, all his companies went bankrupt, giving him yet another reason to devote himself to the causes that mattered most to him.

A new birth

The colonist was now behind him. The experiences in Tunisia and at Solferino shaped the man who would go on to found the largest relief organization operating in conflict zones and who would actively contribute to the development of modern humanitarian action. In 1864, the First Geneva Convention, which laid the foundations of humanitarian law and established the framework of the International Red Cross, was signed.

Elated by this success, he became involved in negotiations on disarmament and the creation of an international court of justice. At the age of 44, he was appointed International Secretary of the “Society for the Improvement of the Condition of Prisoners of War,” another cause close to his heart. Indirectly, through his writings, he took a stand in favor of the abolition of slavery.

The life of Henri Dunant is in itself a striking illustration of the idea that one can always become better and continue to grow. The colonist ultimately became a fervent defender of the dignity of human life. An ending that could hardly be more hopeful.

References :

Dunant, H. (1862). Un souvenir de Solférino. Genève, Suisse : Imprimerie Jules-Guillaume Fick.

Durand, A. (1975). Henri Dunant. Genève, Suisse : Comité international de la Croix-Rouge.

Forsythe, D. P. (2005). The humanitarians: The International Committee of the Red Cross. Cambridge, Royaume-Uni : Cambridge University Press.

Hutchinson, J. F. (1996). Champions of charity: War and the rise of the Red Cross. Boulder, CO : Westview Press.

Moorehead, C. (1998). Dunant’s dream: War, Switzerland and the history of the Red Cross. Londres, Royaume-Uni : HarperCollins.

Palmer, A. (1983). Henri Dunant: Founder of the Red Cross. Genève, Suisse : Institut Henry-Dunant.

Convention de Genève pour l’amélioration du sort des militaires blessés dans les armées en campagne, 22 août 1864.

Bugnion, F. (2003). The International Committee of the Red Cross and the protection of war victims. Oxford, Royaume-Uni : Macmillan.