John MacAuley, a Canadian, was chairman of the XVIIIth International conference in Toronto at a time when tensions and animosities due to the Korean War threatened the existence of the Red Cross.

His diplomatic handling of tense confrontations smoothed the way for important decisions among factions holding strongly divergent views. And, in 1959, he became chairman of the board of governors.

During his chairmanship, the number of national Societies rose to 106 from 88. Also, during his leadership, the League and the International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded jointly the Nobel Peace Prize.

MacAuley, a long-time Canadian Red Cross volunteer, was the first Canadian to be awarded the Henry Dunant Medal, the highest award the Red Cross can bestow and named after the Movement's founder, at the XXIInd International Conference in Tehran.

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