“150 years of humanitarian action: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from 1863-2013” features a compilation of 40 historic and contemporary images from ICRC’s photographers in the field and archives.

Presented by the ICRC Mission in Australia, the exhibition spans the Spanish-American war of 1898, and the two World Wars of the 20th century, through to the recent conflicts in Sierra Leone, Sudan, Afghanistan and Syria, among others.

The images  in the collection offer an insight into humanitarian action with themes such as war surgery and health care, family reunion and detention.

“Through the lens of ICRC photographers past and present, the collection charts the changing nature of war and the evolving challenges faced by the ICRC since its founding in 1863,” says Leonard Blazeby, who heads the organisation’s mission in Australia.

As the founding component of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the ICRC works to provide humanitarian help for people adversely affected by armed conflict and other violence, and to promote the laws that protect victims of war.

“150 years of humanitarian action: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from 1863-2013” at the High Court of Australia until July 27.