 When I tell people I work for the ICRC, they often look at me a bit nankly. You know, I say, red grass, red crescent. Oh, they say, are you a doctor? No, I tell them, I'm not a doctor. We do have doctors and nurses. Although there's just one part of what we do. So what do you do? They ask. Well, have you heard of the Geneva Conventions? Of course, said one guy. But what does it mean in real terms? And I thought for a minute and then I said, it means that whenever there's an armed conflict, we can be there to help. It means that the people who've had to flee their homes because of fighting can have access to clean, drinkable water and food. It means that children who were separated from their families in conflict areas can be reunited with them again. It means that when visiting detainees, we try to ensure they are kept according to international standards with dignity and without fear of ill treatment. And how do you do all that? He asked. Well, my more than 13,000 colleagues operate in more than 80 countries around the world. But we don't do it alone. We work together with the National Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Our activities can take us deep into urban centres or out to remote rural areas. Our impartiality, independence and neutrality allow us to touch upon highly sensitive topics. Much of this work we actually do in peacetime. But then, armed conflict creates so many new kinds of needs. Many of them not immediately visible, such as for psychosocial support, protection against sexual violence or education on the dangers of antipersonnel miles. We work together with the people we assist, helping them improve their own life loads. So whatever their past, they have a future to look forward to. That is humanity in action.