We must be grateful to the organizers of this conference for choosing as its theme one of the major concerns of everyone who is devoted to the Red Cross—work on behalf of peace. Indeed, we should never forget that the fundamental reason for the existence of the Red Cross is to work for peace. It is also useful to recall what the Red Cross means by that glorious word: peace.

“Ways and means of remedying the inadequacy of the medical services of armies in the field” was the study undertaken by an international conference convened at Geneva, in October 1863, by a committee of five citizens of Geneva. That committee was later to become the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Dr. Eric Martin, President of the ICRC, accompanied by Mr. Melchior Borsinger, Delegate-General for Europe and North America, visited the Federal Republic of Germany from 19 to 25 June, at the invitation of the National Red Cross.

After the June survey mission in Angola, the ICRC appealed to seventeen National Red Cross Societies to provide material support for its assistance operations in that country. The amount requested in the appeal was two million Swiss francs.

Mrs. Vittoria Leone, Honorary President of the Italian Red Cross, accompanied by Mrs. Francesca de Gasperi, President of the Red Cross Women's National Committee, Dr. C. A. Masini, President, and Dr. Luciano Corvini, head of the external relations bureau, visited the international Red Cross organizations in Geneva, from 2 to 4 July 1975, at the invitation of the League and ICRC.

A report, which was originally published in French soon after the Second World War, has just been issued by the ICRC in its English version under the title The work of the ICRC for civilian detainees in German concentration camps from 1939 to 1945. It gives details of ICRC action on behalf of the detainees in German concentration camps and contains extracts of various documents and reports drafted by ICRC delegates. This 125-page volume may be obtained from the ICRC Documentation Service, Geneva, price 10 Swiss francs.