Geneve: Ideals of peace and humanity

In 1863, Henry Dunant and a group of Genevese formed the International Committee of the Red Cross. Today, Geneva's humanitarian role and action are more than ever necessary and it is widely recognised as the city of Peace and of major international negotiations. Geneva plays host to some 200 international organizations - the UN European headquarters, the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

As home to major trade pacts, Geneva proved to be the ideal location for the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In addition, a number of specialized bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), give Geneva a major role in the development of technical standards and copyright law.

Geneva has sheltered successive waves of refugees over the centuries. They brought the leading technologies of their era - printing, watchmaking and textile manufacture. The international city, with 40% of its population from other lands remains open to people of different origins and cultures.

It is therefore not surprising that the city has become a top conference centre. The cross-fertilization of ideas encourages action, an open mind and an objective view of the world.

As an open city, Geneva's amazing power of integration makes you soon feel at home. Perhaps it's the city's genius for maintaining traditional values in a modern context, that makes it unique.