The first edition of the Young Activists Summit in Geneva awards six young women as drivers of progress

10.12.2019 — Local news Mission Geneva
Promoting the image of young women and girls as drivers of progress, encouraging them to take action and fostering solidarity among girls and young people: these were the main aims of the Young Activists Summit that was held on 10 December 2019 in the symbolic Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations room at the "Palais des Nations" in Geneva. Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad as the guest of honour of this first edition.

Strengthening International Humanitarian Law at the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

09.12.2019 — Local news Mission Geneva
Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis pleaded for the reinforcement of international humanitarian law on the occasion of the opening of the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to be held from 9 to 12 December in Geneva. In his speech, Mr. Cassis emphasized on the importance of the work of the more than 17 million volunteers who are and make the movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Mountains and Climate Change

29.10.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva

Triple exhibition for the centenary of multilateralism in Geneva

08.10.2019 — Local news Mission Geneva
The United Nations Office at Geneva, the International Committe of the Red Cross and the Martin Bodmer foundation collaborate for a triple exhibition to celebrate 100 years of multilateral diplomacy in Geneva.

The Confederation and the Canton and City of Geneva pay tribute to 100 years of multilateralism and the city's role as a centre for global governance

16.09.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis, President of the Geneva State Council Antonio Hodgers and Administrative Councillor of the City of Geneva Sami Kanaan have signed a joint declaration underscoring the key role played by International Geneva in addressing future challenges. The joint declaration pays tribute to 100 years of multilateralism and reaffirms the commitment of the Swiss government and the Canton and City of Geneva to International Geneva's role as a centre of global governance. The signing ceremony was followed by the presentation of a volume of key Swiss diplomatic documents going back to the establishment of the League of Nations a century ago.

On the Mont Blanc for Social Justice

04.09.2019 — Local news Mission Geneva
Representatives of workers, employers and the French and Swiss governments marked the ILO’s 100^th anniversary on the top of the Alps.

APPEL A PROJETS - Plateforme journalistique sur la Genève internationale

26.07.2019 — Local news Mission Geneva
La Confédération, le Canton et la Ville de Genève lancent un appel à projets pour une plateforme journalistique sur la Genève internationale.  

Social partnership serve prosperity

18.06.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
At ILO, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin underlines need of investments in training for managing opportunities and risks of digitalization.

UN Blue Book : Diplomatic titles in French will be feminized

12.06.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
The initiative, launched by Switzerland and realized thanks to the commitment of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, was enthusiastically endorsed by the Director General of the UN in Geneva as a contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Federal Councillor Alain Berset opens the Centennial Conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO)

10.06.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
On the occasion of the opening of the 108th Session of the International Labor Conference, the Federal Councillor recalled the importance of social partnership, education, social protection and justice as fundamental elements for the future work.

Berset opens the 72nd World Health Assembly

20.05.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
Universal health coverage with better access to medical services in the focus of WHO’s meeting.

Joining forces against natural disasters: international conference on disaster risk reduction opens in Geneva today

15.05.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) was opened by SDC Director General Manuel Sager on 15 May. The international conference, which runs until 17 May, will see over 4,000 experts from some 150 countries discuss global policies on natural disaster prevention. The results are expected to guide UN policy in this area.

Ukraine Recovery Conference 2022

21.06.2022 — Press release Mission Geneva

Davos 2022: Geneva Day

23.05.2022 — Press release Mission Geneva
At the World Economic Forum 2022 in Davos, the Geneva Day focused on the future of work, digital trust, and new technologies.

Federal Councillor Berset opens World Meteorological Congress

12.10.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor Alain Berset officially opened an extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress in Geneva. The Congress will focus on WMO reform, WMO support for the global water agenda and the Earth System Data Exchange.

Humanitarian aid for Afghanistan: Switzerland pledges 33 million francs

13.09.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis welcomed participants during the opening of the Ministerial Conference called by the UN Secretary-General on humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, held on Monday, 13 September 2021 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Press release

More coordinated emergency humanitarian action

25.06.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
Finding new ways to respond to challenges exacerbated by COVID-19. This was one of the key issues discussed at the humanitarian affairs segment (HAS) of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was held in Geneva from 23 to 25 June 2021 and was chaired by Switzerland. A resolution to strengthen coordination of humanitarian aid was adopted, sending an important political signal.

Switzerland pledges CHF 14 million for humanitarian aid in Yemen

01.03.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
FDFA head and Vice President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis pledged a CHF 14 million humanitarian aid package at an online conference to raise funds for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Switzerland hosts an informal WTO ministerial meeting

29.01.2021 — Press release Mission Geneva
At the invitation of Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, a virtual informal ministerial meeting was held on 29 January on WTO-related issues. Among those taking part were ministers responsible for WTO affairs and WTO Deputy Director General Alan Wolff. The event was held in place of the traditional informal WTO ministerial meeting chaired by Switzerland on the fringes of the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos. Participants discussed trade policy challenges and priorities ahead of the twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference, particularly in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

73rd World Health Assembly

18.05.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
This year’s World Health Assembly is taking place under special circumstances; due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is a virtual event with a reduced agenda. President Simonetta Sommaruga represented Switzerland at the World Health Organization conference on Monday, 18 May. Ms Sommaruga commended the work of the Geneva-based organisation and gave an assurance of Switzerland’s support.

Geneva Airport dedicates its protocol salon to Kofi Annan

08.04.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
Today, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, would have been 82 years old. On this occasion, Geneva Airport announces that its protocol lounge will be renamed "Espace Kofi Annan." This gesture honours a man who unceasingly fought for international cooperation to tackle global challenges, something which has never been more relevant than today, given the global crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Switzerland at the vanguard of human rights

25.02.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
2019 marked 100 years of multilateralism in Geneva, one of the key themes of which is the protection of human rights. 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, whose Charter places fundamental rights and human dignity at the heart of efforts to ensure peace and sustainable development. "Reaffirming, promoting and defending these common values is a task for all of us," said Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at the opening of the spring session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 24 February 2020.

Geneva meets Davos for global good

22.01.2020 — Press release Mission Geneva
Big crowds at the “Geneva Day” hosted by the House of Switzerland in Davos on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Conceived as a meeting point between global governance institutions and WEF participants, the “Geneva Day” explored new paths for international cooperation to advance sustainable and inclusive development.

Geneva Solutions: the journalistic platform on international Geneva

20.12.2019 — Press release Mission Geneva
Geneva Solutions, a digital editorial offer, was selected as the best of the proposals submitted in response to the call for projects launched by the Confederation, the Canton and the City of Geneva to create a journalistic platform on the work of organizations that provide public services worldwide from Geneva.

Federal Councillor Berset opens the 75th World Health Assembly

22.05.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
On Sunday, 22 May, Federal Councillor Alain Berset opened the 75th World Assembly and advocated for a strong WHO with the necessary means and authoritativeness to support Member States, including during pandemics.

Federal Councillor Sommaruga celebrates press freedom

05.05.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga and UN High-Commissioner to Human Rights Michelle Bachelet highlighted how important the freedom of the press is to democracy, on 4 May 2022 in Geneva. Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize laureates in 2022, participated to the World Press Freedom Day.

International Cooperation Forum 2022

04.04.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis opened the International Cooperation Forum 2022 in Geneva on 31 March 2022.

Yemen Pledging Conference

16.03.2022 — Local news Mission Geneva

Switezrland and Sweden co-hosted a pledging conference on 14 March 2022. Switzerland pleadged 14,5 millions francs for humanitarian response

EDA Press Release

20th anniversary of Switzerland joining the United Nations

03.03.2022 — Article Mission Geneva
Switzerland is Host State of the United Nations in Europe since 1945 (and before that was Host State of the League of Nations) and became a Member State of the UN on 10 September 2002.

Opening of the 49th Human Rights Council

28.02.2022 — Mission Geneva
Opening address of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council

Ignazio Cassis inaugurates new extension in the Palais des Nations

02.11.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva
Ignazio Cassis inaugurated a new building in the Palais des Nations complex, together with UNOG Director-general Tatjana Valovaya.

Building Bridges 2021

22.10.2021 — Mission Geneva
A contribution of Switzerland to the SDGs

GESDA: a radar to map emerging scientific breakthroughs

12.10.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva
The Geneva Science & Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) unveiled a system that allows to identify forthcoming scientific breakthrough in the next quarter-century, called the "GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar".

Lausanne declaration on cluster munitions

22.09.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva

Geneva, 22.09.2021 - States Parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions jointly condemn the use of these weapons by any actor and adopt an ambitious plan

The Second Review Conference of State Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) concluded on 21 September 2021 under the presidency of Swiss Ambassador Félix Baumann and reached unanimity for the first time in several years.

Federal Councilor Berset opens the World Health Assembly of the WHO

24.05.2021 — Local news Mission Geneva
Federal Councilor Alain Berset opened the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. In his speech, Alain Berset praised the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) and asked the member states to make sustainable investments in a global health protection structure. During their attendance at the Assembly, Federal Councilor Berset and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus signed a cooperation agreement as part of the WHO BioHub initiative.

At the United Nations, Switzerland contributes to a safe and peaceful cyberspace

12.03.2021 — Mission Geneva
A United Nations working group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications (ICTs) in the context of international security, chaired by Ambassador Jürg Lauber, permanent representative of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva, has adopted a final report with a list of recommendations to ensure peace and security in cyberspace.