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75 years on from their adoption, the Geneva Conventions remain as vital as ever.
Forming the core of international humanitarian law (IHL), the Geneva Conventions set forth the fundamental humanitarian standards that must be upheld during armed conflict.
Working alongside the International Committee of the Red Cross regional delegation for the UK and Ireland, the Embassy marked the anniversary with an event looking at the ongoing relevance of the Conventions in a world with an increasing number of conflicts and regular IHL violations.
Speaking at the event, ICRC Director General Pierre Krähenbühl stressed that even in today’s polarized world, the laws save lives during conflict:
“There’s no time for skepticism, only time for continued action on behalf of IHL and the people this body of law is supposed to protect.”
The Swiss Ambassador Markus Leitner and ICRC Director General Pierre Krähenbühl with the panelists © FDFA
A huge thanks to Pierre Krähenbühl for joining us and to our panelists Elizabeth Macharia-Mokobi, Philip Spoerri, Claire Clement, Ambassador Sandra Lendenmann, Professor Marco Sassòli and Hazel Cameron for their time and insights.
Attendees also had the chance to experience the ICRC’s ‘Digital Dilemmas’ interactive experience, which immerses visitors in a crisis situation to see how digital technologies, from social networks to biometrics and connectivity, are transforming lives in such settings.
While history reminds us of what has been accomplished for world peace, recent events also demonstrate that nothing can ever be taken for granted – neither fundamental rights nor peace. As a high contracting party – and the depository of the Geneva Conventions – Switzerland is committed to respecting, promoting and implementing IHL, making this a constant priority of its foreign policy.
