For more than 100 years, Geneva has been a platform for multilateral cooperation. Over time, multilateral activities have constantly developed to respond and adapt to new global challenges. Today, they include humanitarian activities, social issues, international law, disarmament, trade and economic development, telecommunications, health, protection of refugees and human rights. The long-term perspective shows that a number of UN specialized agencies and other UN entities based in Geneva sprang out from the League’s experience, and at times are even the direct continuation of League bodies.
International Law
In multilateral rules-based order, international law is essential to regulate international life, promote economic and social development, and advance international peace and security. Over the last century, Geneva has played a pivotal role in fostering the codification and development of international law.
Disarmament
Disarmament and arms control are central to peace and security. However, limiting or forbidding some categories of weapons can only be effective if there is general consensus. Since the time of the League of Nations, Geneva has been a hub for multilateral negotiations for disarmament.
Economic and Financial Cooperation
Well-being and prosperity strengthen peace and global stability. Multilateral cooperation is essential for supporting international exchanges. Geneva is at the core of the multilateral efforts to promote economic integration, trade and development.
Intellectual Cooperation
The work of the Intellectual Cooperation Organization of the League of Nations left a tangible legacy to the United Nations.
International Cooperation and Drug Control
International cooperation is essential to address the problems related to drug production, trafficking and use of illicit substances, as well as to ensure the availability of drugs for medical and scientific purposes. Geneva has played an important role in the development of an international drug control system.
The Protection of the Environment and Climate Change
Environmental protection and climate change have become major international issues over the last decades. Since the League of Nations, multilateral efforts made in Geneva have constantly evolved.
The Multiple Dimensions of Multilateral Cooperation
Multilateralism is part of our daily life. If today some multilateral initiatives of the League of Nations have sometimes an unexpected resonance, the work of the UN has an impact on the life of people around the world.
Humanitarian Assistance
In case of humanitarian crisis, saving lives often depends on international cooperation. Geneva has continuously been at the centre of multilateral efforts to strengthen humanitarian assistance and prevent disasters.
Labour
The International Labour Organization (ILO) was established after the First World War on the conviction that peace can only be built on social justice. Due to its tripartite nature, the ILO is a very particular multilateral organization which works to adopt and monitor international labour standards.
Health: From the League to the UN
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the critical relevance of multilateral action in the field of global health. If today the World Health Organization (WHO) plays a pivotal role in promoting better health standards, the work of its predecessor, the Health Organization of the League of Nations, was extremely innovative.
Protecting Refugees
For more than 100 years, Geneva has been at the core of multilateral efforts aiming at assisting and protecting refugees. It all began in the early 1920s with Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian diplomat who was then very popular for his expeditions in the Arctic.
Human Rights
Why is Geneva sometimes called “the capital of human rights”? The answer can be found in the long tradition of promoting human rights, as well as in the presence of various UN institutions.