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international

I loved the unusual fresco by Sapey with
children on the ground of the Court d’Honneur,
sitting peacefully around me. There were
many other events I loved also, like when the
whole city of Geneva could come to see me.
For example, the training for the Escalade
run when internationals and Genevans, old
and young, VIPs and ordinary citizens, took
part together in this Geneva tradition, and I
so appreciated being in the centre of the City
I belong to.

In this case, you will definitely appreciate
the idea of one of my former colleagues. She
considered the Palais seen from your side as a
colossal theatre stage, and the Court d’Honneur
as theatre stalls for people to get together for a
charity Concert or similar.
Yes indeed, this could be interesting. If the cause
is good, the whole city could get together here;
maybe this will happen for my inauguration.
Actually, my original inauguration never took
took a more modest yet more visible place – on place; in 1939 it was not the right time. The
the edge, so that every delegate and visitor could project idea was born in 1929, but it took 10 years
see it. to implement, and even though I was crafted in
record time and parts were delivered in August
So, as you have been here since end of the 30s 1939 and assembled within days, the outbreak
you must have witnessed so many events at the of World War Two prevented a big celebration,
Palais. Tell me what struck you most, what was so there was only a very modest one. It was not
the most memorable. possible to inaugurate a Monument for Peace
Apart from the first Secretary-General of during those times.
the League, I saw everything: all the League’s
Under-Secretaries General and country The rotation mechanism was started but within
representatives, and UNOG Director-Generals, several months, as WWII was spreading,
and all Secretaries-General of the UN, I also saw there came a decision to evacuate the Palais
every delegation, many governments, and even and to stop the mechanism. And life at the
Presidents. If they came to the UNOG, they Palais stopped - no electricity, no rotation
came to see me; it was as if it were protocol to mechanism - until the end of WWII. By then
pay me a visit. However, the episodes that really the League of Nations had ceased to exist and
linger include when all the staff came out to I was transferred to the UNOG. Later, in 1956
have the UN70 photo taken: then I saw people it was still decided to have an inauguration
all united together. For this reason, I also liked event, but that did not happen either, and
the Open Days, especially when ordinary people then in early 60s my rotation mechanism was
came with their children and sat on the Court broken. From then I continually deteriorated,
to look at me. I loved to see their smiles and so restoration became more important than
laughter, it meant that they felt secure, and that inauguration.
was the most important feeling. I also remember
when your colleague Christian David organized Now, hopefully all will be in order. I will rotate,
the fireworks to raise awareness of the need be illuminated, and with all that done there is
to renovate me; perhaps it was during those nothing to prevent me having my due ceremony
flashes and lights people got the inspiration to of inauguration, perhaps as a symbol of Geneva
illuminate me. International.

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