L'oeil de la Genève Internationale
February 2016

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) audiovisual archives online platform is now available to all. More than 93'000 digitized and downloadable photos, around 1'700 films and over 1'000 audio recordings document the activities of the ICRC and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. From the end of the 19th century up to the present day, these archives have been continually expanded. Their preservation represents a valuable documentary heritage and contributes to remembering the victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence.

During his journey across Afghanistan for the ICRC in 2009, the famous war photographer James Nachtwey captured this picture featuring detainees held by Afghan authorities. The ICRC has been present in Afghanistan since 1979, working initially in Pakistan for victims of the Afghan conflict, and since 1987 from its delegation in Kabul. The organization reported that 13'000 detainees have seen their living conditions improved in 2015.

More than 200 images from the ICRC archives are published in the book " Humanity in war : frontline photography since 1860 " Editions Lieux Dits, it includes an introduction by James Nachtwey.