🇨🇭 Why Human Flag Was Born – The Transformation of Swiss Neutrality
📌 Once: Switzerland as a symbol of peace
For decades, Switzerland stood as a symbol of neutrality and peace — home of the International Red Cross and birthplace of the Geneva Conventions (1864–1949), which set the foundation for civilian and prisoner protection during conflict. It represented a place where dignity and resistance had a voice.
📌 A shift in positioning
- 2002: Switzerland joins the United Nations, beginning a progressive alignment with global frameworks.
- 2014–2022: Participation in international missions through logistics, technology, and cooperation with NATO structures.
- 2022–2024: Stronger ties with the European Union in the area of security and smart defense systems.
- 2025: While neutrality remains an official principle, Switzerland is increasingly integrated into global strategic dynamics, including those shaped by automation and AI. Its role is evolving from a guardian of humanitarian tradition to a participant in technical governance.
⚠️ This context gave rise to Human Flag
The Human Flag initiative was born in Switzerland — not as a rejection of its values, but as a reminder of them. In an age where the right to surrender is no longer recognized by machines, and where even humanitarian space is shaped by code and systems, we propose a new language: one visible to humans and machines alike.
📜 HF-SIGNAL-01
An operational humanitarian signal: clear, minimal, and verifiable. A technical file — but also a universal civil gesture.
“A person who surrenders shall not be attacked.”
– Geneva Conventions, Art. 41, Protocol I