A Heart for War Victims: My Life with the International Committee of the Red Cross

"Barth experienced that we humans can live well with risk if we know that we are working with something important and meaningful; the title of the book, "A Heart for the Victims". Among the many who are out on humanitarian missions, it provides a lot of guidance – especially for newcomers – from a veteran in the field. For them, it should become standard reading. For a wider audience, the humanitarian close-ups are an easily accessible supplement to today's dense flow of information about power politics."
– Sverre Lodgaard, former Director of the International Peace Research Institute Oslo and The Norwegian Institute for International Affairs, in Dagsavisen

Magne Barth started working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan in 2000. From then he spent two decades giving assistance and protection to the people who needed it, in places torn apart by conflict—Cambodia, South Sudan, Pakistan—before working as Head of Delegation in Iraq, Syria and Russia. In 2013, his colleagues were kidnapped by the Islamic State group in Syria. Such is the danger of providing humanitarian aid.

A Heart for War Victims is the story of Magne's work with the ICRC, traveling to places of armed conflict and insecurity, engaging in dialogue with authorities and opposition groups, visiting prisons and remote communities and, above all, meeting the victims of war themselves. It is the story of his contribution to a larger humanitarian effort, at times challenging, but always very meaningful.

With an introduction from Easterine Kire, this book brings together the letters written by Magne from his various missions, documenting a personal and professional journey and providing a glimpse of the impact humanitarian field work has on people. Putting the politics aside, this book places humanity at its heart.

Magne Barth worked for the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo from 1987-1996. He then moved to work for the Norwegian Red Cross, and from 2000-2015 was seconded to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), after which he worked directly on contract with the ICRC until his retirement. His last mission was in Moscow as Head of Regional Delegation, covering Russia, Belarus and Moldova from 2016-2019. He is now retired and lives in Oslo with his wife.

Easterine Kire is a poet, writer, and novelist from Nagaland. She is one of the finest story tellers from the region and has written several books in English including three collections of poetry and short stories. Her first novel, "A Naga Village Remembered", was the first-ever Naga novel to be published. She is also the Founder-partner of the publishing house Barkweaver, which publishes Naga folktales, children's books and real stirring stories of ordinary people. Easterine has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Pune and performs poetry as a member of the band Jazzpoesi. She lives in Arctic Norway.