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International International

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“But the spirit of peace never died and was pointed to the clear link between Dunant’s city future for the Organization where peace will
and the seat of the great pacifist hopes of the be enshrined as its main ideal. This happened
always alive inside the Palais.
beginning of the twentieth century that had in 1945, with the creation of the United
The ideal of peace and the hope was been embodied in the Covenant and League. Nations. The diplomatic Missions returned
guarded inside the walls of the Palais, and to Geneva soon after, and their Credentials
Geneva as the guardian of peace in its Palais continued to be presented to the new
it never left this building.” des Nations Organization in Geneva – the United Nations

A new edifice was constructed for the League Office in Geneva, since its establishment here
– the Palais des Nations. It was not by chance in 1946.
that is was next to the Red Cross building, and
even more symbolic, the construction site was Geneva as the European Headquarters of the
Since 1863, Geneva had been home to the on neighbouring property of Count de Sellon United Nations
International Committee of the Red Cross (or partially on his territory that he owned As the Headquarters of the UN was established
(ICRC). It was nevertheless primarily thanks to with the family Revilliod). Thus, our majestic in one of the victorious countries, the USA,
the joint efforts of Federal Councillor Gustave building – the Palais - came into being. And it was decided to create a European HQ “Gradually, however, the importance of the
Ador and the economist William E. Rappard even the Celestial Sphere, Woodrow Wilson in Geneva, and a more technical one (the European Headquarters grew and turned
that the City of Geneva was preferred over memorial, was inaugurated in the park to Economic Commission for Europe, established
Brussels or The Hague. Following a popular solidify the idea of Peace. in 1947, was in the heart of European HQ more political ...”
vote, Switzerland joined the new international aimed to restore countries’ economies
organization in May 1920. This date can be Unfortunately, the situation in the world at destroyed by the WWII). Soon after, in 1950,
considered as the mark of the true beginning that time could not prevent the outbreak of the High Commission on Refugees was
of the international role of Geneva. the WWII. And as if by a tragic coincidence established to help refugees and displaced
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or the irony of events, all symbols of peace at persons in the post-war world. Gradually, font Genève”. Among the figures there was
Why Geneva? the premises of the League were shaken too however, the importance of the European –for the first time in UN history – one of the
The first Assembly of the League of Nations – the Celestial Sphere Woodrow Wilson Peace Headquarters grew and turned more political UN staff. It was the former Director-General
opened in Geneva on 15 November 1920 monument stopped turning, and the Temple – with the establishing of the Committee of UNOG, Vladimir Petrovsky. His role was
amid great popular enthusiasm. On behalf of of Peace was struck by a thunderstorm and was on Disarmament in 1979 (Conference on also appraised by the authorities of the Host
the host country, the president of the Swiss destroyed. The League ceased its operations. Disarmament since 1984) with the UNOG Country, who called him “L’artisan de Genève
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Confederation, Giuseppe Motta, welcomed But the spirit of peace never died and was Director-General as the Secretary-General of Internationale” - because it was he who
the ministers and ambassadors representing always alive inside the Palais. The ideal of the Disarmament Conference. The political actually created Geneva International and
the 41 States present. In an inspired speech, peace and the hope was guarded inside the weight and importance of Geneva grew over who elaborated the whole concept of Geneva
he addressed the question of why Geneva had walls of the Palais, and it never left this the years even more, by establishing here the International. He also built bridges between
been chosen as seat of the League of Nations. building. Even if it was not possible to prevent Commission on Human Rights (in 1993), and the international community (UN) and the
“Through a piece of luck that seems almost WWII, the hope for peace was preciously the Office on Coordination of Humanitarian population of Switzerland and Geneva, and
miraculous, given its small size and geographic guarded in the Palais des Nations, by its last Affairs (OCHA) two years earlier (in 1991). made the UN open and accessible (by his
situation in the centre of the turmoil, Secretary-General Sean Lester. Today Geneva is the Headquarters of 26 UN “open doors” endeavours). He established and
Switzerland maintained its neutrality from Organizations and Agencies, and many more promoted the Dialogue among Civilizations
beginning to end. President Wilson’s thinking: During the war, all organizations and most of are represented here with offices. at UNOG and later he continued this
the future must be built not on the memory of staff were evacuated from Geneva and from undertaking within the Comprehensive
suffering but on the hope for peace, as had the Palais, but he stayed here. He literally Geneva and its UN personalities who also Dialogue Among Civilization – CDAC (today
miraculously existed in Switzerland during lived inside the Palais as a captain who never “made” international Geneva a collaborator with this magazine).
the four years of the World War. Addressing abandons his ship. And by staying here, he The role of personalities from Geneva was
the Council of the League of Nations, guarded “the flickering light” and the hope highly recognized and acknowledged in the Among the constellation of UN personalities,
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president Motta pleaded for Geneva: “Of all for peace. He believed that there would be a best-selling book by renowned writer and who undoubtedly contributed to the role of
Swiss cities it is Geneva, through its history Swiss journalist Serge Bimpage, “Ceux qui Geneva International, it is important to also
and through its spirit, that takes the keenest mention Michael Moller, the shining star of
interest in the concerns of international life
and cares most deeply for its ideas. That is “Ceux qui font Genève”, Serge Bimpage, Edi-
why it was predestined to become the cradle of 3 “Sean Lester” Guardian of Flickering Light”, by “He believed that tomorrow would come” tion Slatkine, 999.
– on the book of Marit Fosse and the last Secre-
6 Ambassador Francois Nordmann, the former
Marit Fosse, Editor-in-Chief of Diva International
the Red Cross. The Secretariat of the League of Diplomat on the last days of the last Secretary- tary-General of the League of Nations, by Evelina Permanent Representative of Switrzerland in Ge-
Nations will be at home in Geneva, and public General of the League of Nations. Edition Hamil- Rioukhina, Diva International Diplomat, no. 3, neva, article “Disparition d’un grand artisan de la
opinion will support its work.” Giuseppe Motta ton books, 0 6. 0 8. Genève internationale”, Le Temps, 0.03. 0

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