Page 470 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International

aspects. For the best part of the second half of the twentieth century the
concept of security was dominated by Superpower rivalry. This meant that
security agenda was narrowly defined, focusing on nuclear issues, territorial
claims and the promotion of national interest. It was only as we moved beyond
the Cold War that the concept of security related to each and every citizen of
the planet and the idea of "human security" gained credence. Human security
reaches far beyond issues of territorial security to embrace the economic,
social, and political rights of individuals.

Looking into the future UNOG, as a result of recent reforms, has consoli-
dated its objectives and focused its activities to become the center of human
security. UNOG is an increasingly important base for the United Nations in
the fields of humanitarian assistance and the protection of human rights. It is
also a focus for cooperation in such fields as sustainable development, protec-
tion of the environment, international law, disaster relief and disarmament.
The combined pool of experience available in these Geneva-based UN offices
and organizations help to mobilize and deliver support to Member States and
provides an extraordinary array of assistance to both Governments and peoples
alike. Geneva is ideally equipped as a focus for the transfer of knowledge and
technology.

Contemplating the future role of Geneva International we need to take
into account, that for the first time in history, all humankind is inter-linked by
information highway, economic links and environmental concerns. Hence, no
State or group of states can claim security at the expense of another. Issues are
global by their nature and multilateral cooperation is no longer an option but a
necessity for a peaceful and prosperous global society. To imprint this culture of
cooperation in this new network era, UNOG is setting education as one of its
main priorities. Young people are a source of creative energy and initiative, of
dynamism and social renewal, thus education is the key to the new global
economy. It is central to development, social progress and human freedom.

As this Year of Dialogue among Civilizations shows, the United Nations
and the city of Geneva are the natural forums for such Dialogue and in a sense
the “raison d'être” of our work. Without dialogue we have no means of bringing
peace, security, development, democracy, progress and human rights to
humankind across the globe. Dialogue is the critical medium between conflict
and cooperation. In any dispute while the parties are talking it suggests they
respect, value and understand each other's differences, and are open to each
other's point of view. As you are well aware in Geneva, dialogue is a basic

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