At the time of its creation in 1863, the Red Cross had as its first objective the protection of the wounded and sick, and the work of ensuring that these victims of armed conflict were given the medical attention they required. To carry out this project National Societies were formed and States signed the Geneva Convention of August 22, 1864.

The World Conference of Educators in Lausanne in 1963, one of the events arranged to commemorate the Red Cross Centenary, underlined the important role which the Junior Red Cross can—and should—play in the humanitarian education of young people. All participants recognized that the original idea and basic objectives of the Junior Red Cross were as valid as ever. On the other hand, it has become necessary to evolve new methods and techniques to achieve those objectives. The youths of today wish to be closely associated with efforts being made on a world scale, but they also desire to exercise a more direct control over their programmes of activity and they refuse to be harnessed to a hidebound inflexible system. Many are the international organizations which endeavour to win over youth to participate in their activities; it is up to the Junior Red Cross to earn its place and recognition. Educators themselves have before them the enormous and urgent task of developing amongst youth an ever greater and better spirit of voluntary service; the spirit which is also that of the Red Cross.

The situation in the Yemen where, in spite of the cease-fire agreement concluded last November, hostilities have broken out again in various areas, is obliging the International Committee of the Red Cross to continue its humanitarian activity which started in 1962 on behalf of the victims of the conflict. Mr. André Rochat, head of the ICRC mission, has returned to the Arabian peninsula after a fortnight's stay in Geneva, during which he examined with the institution's directors methods of continuing its work in the Yemen. It has now been decided that the ICRC will continue, for the time being, to give medical aid to the wounded and sick. It will therefore maintain its field hospital at Uqhd in North Yemen for some time longer, as well as the mobile medical teams working in the interior of the country near the fighting areas.

General James F. Collins, recently elected President of the American Red Cross, arrived in Geneva on February 13, 1965, to visit the International Red Cross institutions.

The American Red Cross has transmitted to the International Committee several further requests for inquiries concerning Americans posted missing in South Viet Nam.

Last month the International Review published an article by Mr. Frédéric Siordet, member of the ICRC, on the dissemination of the Geneva Conventions. He recalled the efforts undertaken, in particular by the ICRC, to make more widely known the texts of these Conventions and the obligations incumbent upon signatory States.

Following this article, readers will, we believe, be interested in the following list of publications, lectures, films, etc., produced by the International Committee of the Red Cross to promote the dissemination of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.