Alabama

Mark the day: Wednesday, February, 10, 2010. Life changed.

Okay, so that may be an exaggeration but it was a pretty amazing day. Early in the morning, I rose before the sun did to make my way to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The morning started off with presentation on the current work the Red Cross does worldwide. Then there was a focus on the ICRC involvement in Sri Lanka and how it worked for the people at the time of war and conflict. It was interesting to see how the agency was able to maintain its neutrality during that time allowing it access in the country. Since the ICRC was willing to care for both sides regardless of political preference, it was one of the only agencies allowed in the country during the war. Its with that mentality, ICRC has been able to reach millions of people everywhere.

After chugging scolding hot coffee, we started our tour of Red Cross Museum. The quote " Everyone is responsible to everyone for everything" was at the entrance. It basically wanted to remind people about humanity, and despite what a person believes or does, they are still a human being and they deserve the right to care. This is the very foundation of the Red Cross.

History lesson: The Red Cross was founded by Henry Dunant, a business man just trying to make some cash, or so he thought. He originally wanted to create a business but needed permission from Napoleon III. He traveled to Solferino, Italy, which had just survived a major battle. When he arrived, he saw all these soldiers dying and in need of care. He organized a group of volunteers from different towns nearby to help care for these men. This was a life changing experience and he knew he had to share it with others; thus, the creation of Un Souvenir de Solferino that shook the world. In this book, he expressed that every soldier has the right to care and there should be intervention on the field. 5 years later, the first Geneva Convention was held to recognize the ICRC as a neutral agency to provide relief to any soldier. Thus, the Red Cross was created.

The museum had different exhibits of how the ICRC intervened during wars to care for soldiers. Also, it worked to help families find their loved ones in the war through a index card system. (There were more than 7 million cards present at the museum for WWI alone.) It was after WWI, a common belief that there would be no more wars was shared amongst all. Therefore, the Red Cross felt it could use the expertise it gained during the war to help countries in need. It was then that the agency shifted towards a social aspect, that is currently known for.

It was pretty incredible to learn about a well known organization, and to find out it all started with a man who coincidentally was at the right time and place that changed his life and billions of others years after. Henry Dunant has become a my new idol. I secret want to be Dunant 2.0, but I'll let you know how that goes in a few years. Though, I left the Red Cross without meeting my future boss who would have offered me a job right on the spot because of my witty personality, I did learn alot... and it would be BALLER to get a job there. Just saying.

After lunch, Jen and I went to Old City in Geneva to do a little more research for our observation journals. After taking pictures and notes, we ended up in front of the Alabama Room where the first Geneva Convention was held ( birthplace of Red Cross and international humanitarian law). If you told me at that moment that a few minutes later, we would be on the other side of those locked doors, I would have said that's going in my blog! It turns out if you walk into right office to meet the two nicest men, you can get in. I'm not sure what Jen said to them French, but we both couldn't believe they let us in. Unfortunately, there was some important meeting in session, so we couldn't go to actually room, but we hung out in the reception area, and we were standing where history was made. We were pretty content with ourselves.

I swear, most of my bucket list has been completed since I've came to Switzerland, and if I keep going at this rate, I could die happily at the age of 26... hypothetically speaking.