Page 38 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International

impressions are often the most vivid and I can assure you that, today, I
understand more vividly than 20 years ago the words of Talleyrand, one of the
most skillful French diplomats, when he said at the Congress of Vienna, in
1815, "There are five continents: Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Geneva". I
am convinced that Geneva can and should retain its important role in the
international scene.

Geneva is already actively involved in the process of shaping the new
system of international relations, based on the United Nations Charter - a new
system which could be called the "PAX UN".

Geneva, like United Nations Headquarters in New York, is dealing with a
tremendous challenge: that of translating the words of the founding fathers of
the Charter into reality, into action. The role of Geneva is very impressive. Let
us recall that 70 per cent of all United Nations functions in the humanitarian
field, in economic affairs and in disarmament negotiations stems from Geneva.

Let us recall some figures on the scale of the activities carried out by the
United Nations Office at the present time: nearly 300 conferences are held
there every year, representing between 6,500 and 7,000 meetings (calculated
in half-days), which is twice the number held at New York Headquarters. They
are attended by some 25,000 delegates from all over the world. A total of nearly
27,000 persons active in the international sphere live in Geneva, taking togeth-
er the staff of all the intergovernmental organizations, those who work in
diplomatic missions and the representatives of non-governmental organiza-
tions. If we also take their families into account, we arrive at the even more
impressive figure of 70,000 people connected with international organizations
in the broad sense.

With its vast experience and knowledge, Geneva can take new, additional
responsibilities both in the traditional socio-economic activities and in the new
political dimension of the United Nations preventive diplomacy, peacemaking
and peacebuilding.

Geneva can help the international community to build a bridge between
the twentieth century and the next millennium - a bridge leading to a new
world free from ideological confrontations, where the eternal ideals of freedom,
progress, social justice and peace could be achieved in the conditions of
democracy. We should bring in the twenty­first century openness, tolerance,
charity and humanitarianism, the words of democracy, which have, together,

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