Editorial – March 2021
International Women's Day was established by the UN in 1977 and is celebrated on 8 March. It was inspired in 1910 by Clara Zetkin, a German journalist, politician, teacher and activist. 111 years later, there is still a longway to go, given the inequalities...
Running Switzerland during Covid
Just finished her second non-consecutive term as President of the Swiss Confederation. We spoke to Simonetta Sommaruga ................................. Born in Zug. Professional piano performer. Developed her career in the public sector covering economic affairs,...
From Jamaica to the world
Last autumn Pamela Coke-Hamilton took over as ITC’s Executive Director. She sat down with UN Today to talk about growing up in Jamaica, her different jobs, how Geneva has and hasn’t changed, and her still-far-off retirement plans .....................................
Une femme qui fait la différence
Sacrée « Woman who makes a difference » par l’International Women Forum, un puissant réseau international féminin .......................................... Frédérique Bedos ne fait rien de convenu. Fondatrice du « Projet Imagine », elle ambitionne d’activer en chacun...
The gender parity strategy isn’t working
One of the most persistent staffing problems in the United Nations system has been the search for gender parity. ............................................ While the General Assembly has regularly emphasized their desire to see gender parity achieved, progresshas...
Two former UN interns discuss life, internships, and women in the UN
Covid-19 calls for a paradigm shift to solve the problems of interns .................................... In 2019, Diana Baron interned at the ILO for five months, during which she was privileged enough to receive a monthly stipend that supported her stay in Geneva....
Use gender-sensitive language
Since gender is attached to the noun in many languages, some non-native speakers of English presume that English is similar .......................................... Or they simply may be unaware of the importance of gender neutrality, especially in today's...
The global Covid vaccinator
We talked to Anuradha Gupta, Deputy CEO of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) ......................................... She is a global development leader with a proven track record for transformational impact at both the country and global level....
Impact Day – How to create social and environmental change with films
The International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights will take place online between the 5th and 14th of March .............................................. This 19th edition of the Festival intends to question and highlight the many new forms of collective...
Le Kiosque Culturel du CAGI à l’ONUG a 20 ans!
Comme on le dit souvent, la découverte et l'intégration dans une nouvelle ville passent aussi par la culture. Genève est une cité où le rayonnement culturel et les échanges interculturels foisonnent et faire découvrir ce dynamisme aux employés de la Genève...
Let women grow and they will grow the forests
Foresters, like doctors of medicine, are men - that is a common perception ............................................. March seems a perfect timing to shed some more light on this misconception. It is the time of the year when we celebrate the beginning of spring,...
World Meteorological Day
The view of a forecaster from Geneva ......................................... My job as an operational weather forecaster – at the western regional forecasting office of MeteoSwiss in Geneva –, entails analyzing the atmospheric conditions to formulate forecasts for...
Socorro Flores Liera: Mexican ambassador to ICC judge
She shares with us her personal story and her career path _____o_____ Please tell us briefly about your career, especially why you joined the diplomatic service and how you were appointed to your current position at the UN in Geneva. International Law has always been...
Working globally… living locally
A retired “frontalier” recalls how living in France and working in Geneva illustrates what the United Nations is all about ............................................... I first came to Geneva almost 50 years ago on mission from New York. The beauty of Lac Léman,...
Will we enjoy opera and ballet in 2021?
A conversation with Aviel Cahn, General Director of the Grand Théâtre de Genève ................................... It is an uncertain exercise, but definitely worth it. Do you have an idea how the pandemic has affected the theatre? What about how the forecast...
Endometriosis: how do we raise awareness of this condition?
A chronic pain that affects women of reproductive age. An interview with Dr. Seidler clears up all doubts ...................................... There are as many forms of the disease as there are women: the treatment will be personalized and adapted over the years...
Le « désavantage » physiologique qui empêche les femmes de s’épanouir professionnellement
Beacoup de femmes souffrent sans le savoir d'un vrai désavantage professionel: leur cerveau. Les organisations devraient le prendre en compte ..................................... Le cerveau des femmes est câblé différemmentNos collègues de l’Université de Zürich ont...
How Covid impacted on Geneva’s Beau Rivage
A conversation with Lars Wagner, General Manager of Beau Rivage Genève ................................ With an international Geneva totally inactive –and without conferences– the impact on Beau Rivage has been immense. The occupation of some of the 5-star-hotels...
Are you settling in Geneva?
We talked to three régies .......................... It’s hard to find a place to live in Geneva so it pays to prepare yourself before you arrive. Three property management firms, known locally as régies, told us more.The first approach was with Valentine...
February 2021
This is my first issue as Editor-in-chief. My aim is to continue the thrilling adventure of UN Today, which took over from UN Special a year ago with my predecessor Alex Mejia whom I would like to sincerely thank for having successfully guided the magazine during 5...
How Technology Can Promote Multilingualism & How it Cannot
The following is an analysis marking International Mother Language Day, which was commemorated on February 21, on “How Technology Can Promote Multilingualism While Being Realistic — & How it Cannot”
David Mc Cuaig, Director of the Strategic Heritage Plan (SHP), UNOG
The new H building features open space. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, many studies were published putting into question the future of open space. How is this impacting the initial plans that have been foreseen for the H building? Open office space means a lot of...
How the Staff coordinating Council has worked for you this past year
In spite of the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNOG Staff coordinating Council (SCC) has worked tirelessly to assist staff. Liquidity crisis In March, the Organization was hit with a major liquidity crisis affecting its regular budget,...
After 20 years I lost my job at the UN, now I am a Consultant
What is like to lose your job after 20 years on a permanent contract? A colleague, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells us his journey. I had a permanent position in one of the most respected UN specialized scientific organizations. After an internal restructuring...
The UN Pension Fund Adopts Facial Recognition Technology: Key questions
Last month, the UN Pension Fund launched a new app for annual recertification of pension eligibility.[1] This app is an alternative to the current paper recertification process, allowing retirees to use electronic facial recognition technology (FRT) for biometric...
SHP: A real estate gamble that went wrong
The new H building, with its clean lines and purportedly collaborative open space, was meant to be the crowning glory of the almost-$1 billion Strategic Heritage Plan. Instead, it is struggling to attract users amidst lower rents outside, fears of spreading Covid-19...
Would open-space and COVID-19 agree to live together in 2021?
As part of the renovation of the Palais des Nations, staff at UNOG are due to move to the new H building which features open space and hot-desking, during the first quarter of 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic is giving rise to many concerns and fears among staff at a time...
Interpreting the interpreter
A journey through the interesting life of Guillermo Tóth. The portfolio of adjectives becomes immense when referring to talented individuals – and sometimes you just cannot find the right one. This is what happened when I had the opportunity to talk to Vilmos. Sorry,...
S.ave O.ur S.phere
UN Today is following the journey of the Celestial Sphere, from the garden of the Palais des Nations to Florence, where it will be restored by a group of experts. A symbol of peace born in a time of war Eighty-one years after it reached the grounds of the Palais des...
New Year brings new controls on plastic waste and more local, national and global action
Approximately 50 tonnes of plastic enter Lake Geneva every year, according to a study commissioned by the Association for the Safeguard of Lake Léman [1]. Most of this waste comes in the form of particles from tyres brought by runoff water, followed by discarded...
La délocalisation annoncée d’OCHA tombera comme un couperet en 2021
Le personnel dans la tourmente subit anxiété, insécurité de l’emploi et peur du lendemain. Pour le personnel du Bureau de la Coordination des Affaires humanitaires des Nations Unies (OCHA), 2021 risque d’être encore plus pénible que 2020 : postes supprimés, départs...
De la guerre à l’engagement pour les droits de l’homme, histoire d’un enfant soldat
À l’occasion de la journée internationale des enfants soldats, le 12 février, UN Today donne la parole à Michel Chikwanine capturé au Congo (RDC) à l’âge de cinq ans. Fervent militant des droits de l’homme, doté d’une formidable énergie, il multiplie les occasions de...
His Excellency Gennady Gatilov Ambassador of the Russian Federation
UN Today has decided to include an interview with a Geneva-based ambassador every month. This month we had the pleasure to interview His Excellency Gennady Gatilov. Please tell us briefly about your career, why you joined the diplomatic service and how you were...
Chronicle of an unforeseen international career
From a small town in Colombia to advising the world on how to handle quality issues in international trade. My UN Experience: It is never too late or is it? I joined the International Trade Centre (ITC) in 1980 at age 41 and retired almost 20 years later. I was at...
La Pastorale. La maison du CAGI’ : entre patrimoine local et Genève Internationale
Construite entre 1831 et 1836 par l'architecte Marc-François Brolliet pour l'officier Eugène de Budé, La Pastorale constitue avant tout le séjour estival d'une famille patricienne genevoise. Le propriétaire fait donc élever cette demeure dont la façade principale...
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: when sleeping makes you sick
Do you snore and wake up not feeling rested despite a full night’s sleep? Do you experience morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness? If so, you are probably suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)! OSAS is a common pathology (3-7% of the...