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Art, testimony, and policy came together at the Embassy of Switzerland in London on a landmark occasion. Hosted by Dominique Paravicini, Switzerland’s Ambassador to the UK, and delivered in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross, British Red Cross and the University of Bath, the event reflected on the issue of missing persons: what it means for those left behind and what humanitarian and state actors are doing, and must do, to address this global crisis.

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The exhibition highlighted the humanitarian, emotional and generational toll of people going missing due to armed conflict and violence, those forced to flee for safety, and the importance of the protection of civilians through international humanitarian law.

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Ten artworks were on display, complemented by policy discussions and testimony from experts and individuals affected by disappearances.

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Talks were given by high-profile figures including Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial summary or arbitrary executions, and representatives from the ICRC, British Red Cross, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs.

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Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Kingdom Dominique Paravicini said: “It was a privilege to work with the University of Bath, ICRC, and British Red Cross to convene powerful voices of testimony and advocacy at the Embassy.

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“Platforms for dialogue, networks of expertise, and institutional memory sustain us through challenging periods, which is why Geneva’s multilateral forums, and collaborations like these, matter more than ever.”

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