The ICRC together with the VII Photo agency has launched a worldwide campaign to raise awareness of today’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. As part of the campaign, which marks the 150th anniversary of the Red Cross, the ICRC sent five photographers from VII to eight conflict-affected countries to examine up-close the suffering caused by war and violence.

An exhibition of the work is being shown in 40 countries. .

 

On the southern island of Mindanao, government forces have been fighting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for decades. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives. Despite a 2003 ceasefire, violence erupted in August 2008 forcing over 250,000 civilians to flee their homes. On 15 January 2009, three ICRC workers were abducted in the southern Philippines. As of 22 April 2009, one of them, Eugenio Vagni remains in captivity.