<P> The Red Cross on white background was the original protection symbol declared at the 1864 Geneva Convention . The ideas to introduce a uniform and neutral protection symbol as well as its specific design originally came from Dr. Louis Appia, a Swiss surgeon, and Swiss General Henri Dufour, founding members of the International Committee . </P> <P> The red cross symbolizes as an identifier for medical personnel during wartime . The Red Cross is defined as a protection symbol in Article 7 of the 1864 Geneva Convention, Chapter VII ("The distinctive emblem") and Article 38 of the 1949 Geneva Convention ("For the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field"). There is an unofficial agreement within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement that the shape of the cross should be a cross composed of five squares . However, regardless of the shape, any Red Cross on white background should be valid and must be recognized as a protection symbol in conflict . Of the 190 National Societies which are currently recognized by the ICRC, 154 are using the Red Cross as their official organization emblem . </P> <P> According to the ICRC, the emblem adopted was formed by reversing the colours of the Swiss flag of Switzerland . This was officially recorded in the 1906 revision of the Convention . However, according to jurist and Red Cross historian Pierre Boissier, no clear evidence of this origin has been found; the concept that the design was chosen to compliment the country in which the convention at which it was adopted was held, was also promoted later to counter the objections of Turkey that the flag was a Christian symbol . Conversely, there is no evidence that the emblem of the Red Cross was not formed by reversing the colours of the Swiss flag . </P> <P> During the Russo - Turkish War from 1876 to 1878, the Ottoman Empire used a Red Crescent instead of the Red Cross because its government believed that the cross would alienate its Muslim soldiers . When asked by the ICRC in 1877, Russia committed to fully respect the sanctity of all persons and facilities bearing the Red Crescent symbol, followed by a similar commitment from the Ottoman government to respect the Red Cross . After this de facto assessment of equal validity to both symbols, the ICRC declared in 1878 that it should be possible in principle to adopt an additional official protection symbol for non-Christian countries . The Red Crescent was formally recognized in 1929 when the Geneva Conventions were amended (Article 19). After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Red Crescent was first used by its successor nation Turkey, followed by Egypt . From its official recognition to today, the Red Crescent became the organizational emblem of nearly every national society in countries with majority Muslim populations . The national societies of some countries such as Pakistan (1974), Malaysia (1975), or Bangladesh (1989) have officially changed their name and emblem from the Red Cross to the Red Crescent . The Red Crescent is used by 33 of the 190 recognized societies worldwide . </P>

Where does the red cross symbol come from
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