The Geneva Society for Public Welfare set up a committee to try to organise an international conference about Dunant 's idea . The `` Committee of the Five '' met on 9 February 1863 , the members were : On February 9 , 1863 in Geneva , Henry Dunant founded the `` Committee of the Five '' ( together with four other leading figures from well-known Geneva families ) as an investigatory commission of the Geneva Society for Public Welfare .