Today marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims

In 1949, all countries of the world agreed that there should be rules in war, ratifying and committing themselves to abide by them.

It was on 12 August 1949 that the four Geneva Conventions were signed:

• The First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field
• The Second Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea
• The Third Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War
• The Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War

These conventions have become universally ratified documents, accepted and confirmed by most states as a fundamental legal standard. Their importance cannot be overstated. The primary purpose of the Geneva Conventions is to protect those not actively involved in hostilities: the wounded, the sick, the shipwrecked, prisoners of war, and civilians. Any denial or disregard of the norms established in these conventions not only undermines the foundations of humanity but also threatens the existence of humankind as a whole.