War centenary should prod us to consider the Geneva Convention

This year the world looks back and remembers the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The scale of human slaughter achieved nothing except to sow the seeds of the Second World War.

We would all do better to ponder on the 150th anniversary of the Geneva Convention, signed on August 22, 1864.

It laid down the principles in international law for the humane treatment of soldiers wounded in battle and for prisoners of war. The guiding genius was Henri Dunant. His book, A Memory of Solferino, inspired the founding of the Red Cross.

As General Sherman said, “War is Hell”. The words “Blessed are the peacemakers” are as true today as they were nearly 2,000 years ago.

Michael Mernagh

Raheens,

Carrigaline,

Co Cork