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International International
of the World Health Organization, and many
others. It were they who also made Geneva
International and strengthened it.
Geneva and the Permanent Representatives
– they too made Geneva International: they
empowered it by their Credentials
There were many international personalities
throughout history of multilateralism who
also “made Geneva” and gave it the true image
of the world capital for peace, but books are
not yet written about them. While “Ceux
qui font Genève” combines personalities as
acknowledged and recognized locally, and
separate books are written about the above UN
“The city also was the venue for the personalities individually, there is no single
comprehensive study about the Permanent
most important and highly sensitive Missions. And not only about outstanding
political summits.” or shining personalities, but about those who
were the first here to present Credentials. By
their service here they already seeded the
grains, they already cemented the stones in
the foundation of Geneva International, and
UNOG here in Geneva, who was awarded by thanks to them and their presence here today,
the City of Geneva by the Médaille Genève we read that Geneva is the world capital of
reconnaissante for his role in communicating peace, dialogue and diplomacy.
the importance of the work done in Geneva.
By his innovative undertakings such as the Geneva as the world capital of peace and
Perception Change Project and throughout dialogue - yesterday, today and in the years
his tenue as the DG, he continued to change to come
the perception of UNOG and to successfully The city also was the venue for the most
promote International Geneva. His role important and highly sensitive political
was also recognized by the Fondation pour summits, which made history and changed the
Genève. Of course, there were many others, world. In 1955, Geneva hosted the “quartet”
including one of the most popular, UN – “The Big Four” (President Eisenhower of the
Secretary-General Kofi Annan. A Nobel US, Prime Minister Eden of the UK, Premier
Prize winner, he added to the growing image Bulganin of the USSR, and Prime Minister
of Geneva International and Geneva as the Faure of France). They were accompanied by
capital of peace by establishing his Kofi the foreign ministers of these four powers:
Annan Foundation here in Geneva. It is Dulles, Macmillan, Molotov, and Pinay. Also
also important to mention here the heads of in attendance was Nikita Khrushchev of the
other UN Agencies who marked the history Soviet Union. This summit took place at the
of Geneva International or contributed to it Palais des Nations.
– from Sergio Vieira de Mello, Human Rights
High Commissioner, who tragically perished Later, Geneva hosted summits of US President
in a terrorist attack in Iraq, to the current Carter and Syrian President Al-Assad (1977),
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, during and in 1985, Geneva hosted the famous
his tenure in Geneva at the helm of the High Reagan-Gorbachev summit. In 1990 there
Commission on Refugees, or Gro Harlem was the summit of George H.W. Bush and
Brundtland, one of the most significant as Haffez Al-Assad, and in 1994 and in 2000, two
UN Envoy for climate change and sustainable summits of President Clinton and President
development and the former Director-General Al-Assad. In 2009 Geneva hosted the famous
w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h
“reset” summit of Serguei Lavrov-Hillary “Switzerland, carefully preserving its
Clinton. Finally, in June 2021, Geneva hosted
the Biden-Putin summit. Geneva is also a neutrality, created this possibility, maybe
venue for highly sensitive political talks – the today the only possibility in the world.”
Syria talks, Yemen talks, Libya talks, Cyprus
talks and there might be need for other
negotiations in future, as the world we are
living now,, is fragile and changing. Geneva the city of Geneva). Who were they? Those
will provide the best and the most neutral in a way are “unsung heroes”. The fact that
platform for such negotiations for peace, or Geneva today is called world capital of peace
dialogues aimed at strengthening peace. and diplomacy – it is also they who made and
who are making it possible (making it become
And who knows, maybe even one day the reality).
UN HQ will come to Geneva. Geneva
International, as strong as it is today, can We hope that such a historical, encyclopaedic
make it possible. All facilities are here. And a study of a politically neutral nature (book)
beautiful Assembly Hall might be delighted to would be of interest to all Permanent Missions
accommodate the high gatherings, for whom and diplomatic community, to all international
travelling to Geneva might be much more organizations, to the City of Geneva and to
convenient (after what we have been seeing academia (schools of diplomacy, universities).
lately, associated with pandemic). But it can Please give us your feedback at editor.
be also more convenient diplomatically, too. divainternational@gmail.com
Switzerland, carefully preserving its neutrality,
created this possibility, maybe today the only
possibility in the world. Incidentally, there
was already a precedent – a General Assembly
session was held in Geneva (in 1988, but that If our project supported, we plan to start
one was a special session, purely for political works by the end of the current year (to
reasons). But there might be more to come mark the Year of Peace and Trust, because
recognizing the role of Geneva (and giving to presenting Credentials to somebody means
Geneva even more stronger “credentials” as also to express trust, as well as to give
the world capital where peace can be achieved trust, to entrust). The works will continue
and/or negotiated in a dialogue between the over 2022, and we will be contacting you
nations). for consultations and/or to check the
information that we will collect by our own
However, such thinking – of Geneva means. If during our research on the above
International as world capital of peace and topic, you would like to provide us with
diplomacy - would have never been even the additional information about your
possible, if not those who were the first to Permanent Representatives in Geneva,
cement its role then, in 1919 for the League, and who in your view, brought the highest
especially, those for UNOG. Thus, we would contribution to the image of Geneva
like to produce a study/book about them. This International and as capital of Peace,
study/book will be a tribute to all those the Dialogue and Diplomacy, will be welcome
first Ambassadors to the League and the first to send us the biographies and the stories
Permanent Representatives to the UNOG about the contribution to the International
(from 1919 through 1945 and util today) who Geneva, and all those will be published as
presented their Credentials in Geneva. Some a separate chapter to this book, indicating
are world-known, but some are not, but their “as seen by the countries”. This study/book
contribution is not less significant. They were could be our modest collective contribution
the first who – by presenting their Credentials to the UNOG for the upcoming 80
th
in Geneva - cemented the edifice of Geneva anniversary of the Organization.
International (i.e. they gave Credentials to
w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h