Sydney (ICRC) – In the Our World - At War exhibition, which opens in Canberra on 12 August to mark the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, a group of award-winning war photographers examine at close range the suffering, but also the dignity, of those affected by armed conflict.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (the ICRC) and the prestigious VII photo agency jointly sent five photographers to eight countries – the Philippines, Afghanistan, Liberia, Georgia, Colombia, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti.

The photographers – James Nachtwey, Franco Pagetti, Antonin Kratochvil, Ron Haviv and Christopher Morris – captured dramatic images of individual stories of loss and suffering in war: women struggling to recover from sexual violence, families coping with displacement and people victimized by gang warfare.

Our World - At War, which is being shown in more than 40 countries around the world, also puts the spotlight on the inspirational attempts of ordinary men and women to limit human suffering and rebuild lives in the most violent corners of the world.

"The exhibition is important as it gives a voice to the often unheard victims of armed conflict," said Jean-Luc Metzker, head of the ICRC regional delegation for the Pacific.

"It also clearly demonstrates the ongoing relevance of the Geneva Conventions in protecting those not, or no longer, taking part in hostilities." The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 underpin modern-day international humanitarian law, which regulates how and against whom wars may be fought.

"Six decades on, the Geneva Conventions continue to provide protection – and to impose responsibilities – in times of conflict for Australians and others from all walks of life: for civilians such as journalists, businessmen and aid workers, as well as for military personnel,” said Mr Metzker.

According to the chief executive of the Australian Red Cross, Robert Tickner, “the Geneva Conventions are a forceful reminder that international humanitarian law is for all.

It is universal and underscores our common bonds.

It does not distinguish between the "rightness" or the "wrongness" of an armed conflict.

Rather, it focuses on a base level of humanity that applies even during war." For further information, please contact:
Pauline Wall, ICRC Sydney, tel: +61 2 9388 9039 or +61 418 485 120
Claire Kaplun, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 2405 or +41 79 244 6426

See also ICRC media contacts

This article on www.icrc.org