Page 36 - DIVA_2_2018

INTERNATIONAL

For the International Day of Peace

He believed that

tomorrow

should come

By Evelina Rioukhina and Ryan Kennedy

Without experience in foreign affairs, he be- Tuesdays, etc. The Palace is abandoned. No-
came a politician with the strongest integrity body would come tomorrow, nobody would
and by his firm convictions he managed to search for the Salle des pas perdus. "To-
defend not only the rules governing civilized morrow" is not coming and it is not clear
society, but also the sacred notion (and lega- whether it would come at all. And there is
cy) of the symbol of Peace that our building, only one person walking through the halls
the Palais des Nations, embodies. He did it and the Salle des pas perdus. He knows that
because he had a strong belief and persever- there is no tomorrow, because there is a
ance to fight for the right cause. His name was Sean Lester, war all around. Everywhere except of the tiny country of
the last Secretary- General of the League of Nations. Switzerland that manages to keep its neutrality. This tiny
country has also a marvel - a huge and majestic Palace of
Our Palace (Palais des Nations) accommodates thousands Peace. But in those dark times precious peace was violat-
and thousands of delegates coming from all parts of the ed by the outbreak of war. The lonely person in the Palace
Globe, to discuss issues of peace, of sustainable develop- cannot abandon his post as a captain who is never aban-
ment, of human rights, all believing and hoping to make doning his ship. Not only has he perseverance and faith,
our Planet a better place for future generations. These but also he feels a responsibility towards the high ideals
delegates, if lost, usually meet in the Salle des pas perdus of humanity. Therefore, he continues fighting to maintain
(the highest hall, which visitors usually use as a meeting the remaining dignity and prestige of the institution and
point to avoid getting lost in our truly immense build- he has a resolve as well as a firm belief that "tomorrow"
ing). From this Salle the delegates can enjoy a gorgeous should and will come. He fights despite the fact that he
scenery of the Celestial Sphere proudly shining in the knows that his tasks come to an end, that the League of
Court of Honour. Behind its back, in turn, hides a huge Nations, the Organization of which he is the Secretary
Assembly Hall. All these three components cannot be un- General, is crumbling, that it failed to prevent the dra-
linked, as they together represent the heart of the hearts matic turn of history and the outbreak of the WWII. He
of the Palais and embody a symbol of peace that Palais is fights despite the feeling of being a "captain of a water-
usually associated with. And if we, staff members, come logged boat", with only a skeleton crew in a deserted Pal-
here on Sundays and discover the totally lonely Palace, ais des Nations. He does so because he has a high mission
we enjoy the calm of the high galleries, the majesty of the - he fells responsible for preserving the heritage of peace,
Salle des pas perdus, the beauty of the Court d'honneur, or at least, the symbol of peace (which the Palais des Na-
the view of the Celestial Sphere, and we feel for at least a tions, the building constructed between 1929 and 1938
day that we are "the Masters" of the Palace. But we also for the League of Nations, the first, and at that time the
know that tomorrow will come, together with thousands only, International Organisation servicing international
and thousands of delegates who will once again fill our peace undoubtedly is). It is this strong belief, this convic-
Palace with their firm beliefs and hope for peace, for the tion that pushes him to stay and to defend the heritage,
SDGs, or any other related topic that they came to discuss the "foundation" of the idea and the symbol of peace. His
at the UNOG Palais. name is Sean Lester.

Now imagine totally different scenery. High ceilings, dark He was the last Secretary General of the League of Na-
halls, and not only on Sundays, but also on Mondays, tions. He was neither a diplomat, nor a politician. But he

34 DIVA - INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT