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Accepter la vie – Méditation Vipassana au Palais des Nations
Si demain la science invente une pilule qui guérit de toutes les souffrances physiques, le monde sera surement un vrai paradis. Pourtant il restera probablement une partie sur laquelle aucun médicament ne pourra agir. Avez-vous remarqué comment nos sens et notre...
Le CAGI au service des ONG et délégués de la Genève Internationale
La participation et la contribution des acteurs non-étatiques, y compris la société civile, au sein de la gouvernance mondiale sont de plus en plus importantes et reconnues, et ceci est particulièrement marqué à Genève. Dans ce contexte, le CAGI offre une palette de...
What does this crisis mean for the future of our work and our organization?
This week I was supposed to deploy to Zambia. Instead I’m confined at home watching the snow melt on the Jura. So I’ve learned to use Microsoft Teams in all its glory, both for meetings that were necessary and unnecessary. I’ve also been able to admire...
Editorial – April 2020
Alexander Mejia, Editor-in-chief The 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) pandemic has affected the way we work at the United Nations in Geneva in ways that we could not have conceived when this all began. Switzerland is in state of emergency, Geneva is in lock down...
Discovering Traditional Chinese Medicine in Switzerland
Lin Dan* The application of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Switzerland and some of the benefits it brings. During the past decades, traditional systems of medicine have received growing attention around the world. According to some estimates, people in many...
I am intolerant of intolerance
Award winning singer-songwriter and human rights defender Ani Zonneveld represents freedom of religion and tolerance through her songs. On 13 November the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the United Nations in Geneva drew attention to human rights and...
Bazar International Annuel & Fête Des Enfants
BAZAR INTERNATIONAL ANNUEL Le Bazar international de 2019 organisé par le Cercle Féminin des Nations Unies – Genève (CFNU) s'est tenu le mardi 3 décembre 2019 au Palais des Nations. Il a été inauguré par la première femme Directrice générale de l’Office des Nations...
CAGI News – Opportunité unique!
49 appartements neufs dans le quartier des Nations destinés en priorité aux employées et employés de la Genève Internationale. En collaboration avec la Fondation Terra et Casa, le CAGI est heureux de présenter en primeur le projet de l'Avenue Trembley concernant 49...
François Guichard, Fonctionnaire à la CEE-ONU
3 questions au Secrétaire du Groupe de travail des véhicules automatisés/autonomes et connectés (GRVA). Pourra-t-on bientôt se rendre au travail dans une voiture autonome ? Pour l’instant, à part quelques publicités futuristes, tous les experts sont d’accord : le...
La Suisse inconnue, à la découverte des 26 cantons
Une série de 26 impressions des lieux plutôt inconnus – loin du tourisme. Depuis la gare de Soleure, j’arrive à l’arrêt de Feldbrunnen en 5 minutes, tellement le village est accroché à la ville. Néanmoins, ici, on est à la campagne. Cette campagne verdoyante est...
December harvest of olives in Piégon, Drôme provençale
Extra virgin olive oil from Nyons is extracted from the Tanche olive and produced by cold pressing. Olive oil is part of our history and constitutes world cultural heritage. In 2010 UNESCO inscribed the Mediterranean diet , notably olive oil, cereals and fish, in the...
Focus sur le club de course à pied des Nations Unies à Genève
Près de 40 ans de course à pied aux Nations-Unies à Genève. Le Club de course à pied des Nations Unies à Genève (UNRC) a été fondé au début des années 1980. Il rassemble une quarantaine de personnes dont la moitié sont des femmes. Les membres du Club de course à pied...
“We carry a package of trauma with us, sealed and put away”
Award-winning human rights defender, political refugee and vlogger. Abdul Aziz Muhamat advocates for refugees and their mental health. On 13 November the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations in Geneva drew attention to human...
World Wildlife Day 2020: balancing human needs with those of the world’s biodiversity
As climate change and biodiversity loses force humankind to rethink its relationship to nature, World Wildlife Day 2020 aims to foster a more sustainable human interaction with the biosphere and its precious diversity. Last year was marked by a series of abnormal...
International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)
Celebrating 30 Years of Global Standards for Quality Preparedness and Response. The first survivors are being rescued by family members, passers-by and neighbors locating and carrying them or leading them into the streets. The injured, and those shocked and dazed by...
Interview with Shireen Dodson, UN Ombudsman
The UN Ombudsman reflects on her first year at the United Nations and shares her vision for 2020. We recently sat down with Ms. Dodson, UN Ombudsman, who joined the United Nations in September 2018. You have been appointed as UN Ombudsman a little over a year ago. How...
UN secretariat lagging behind on internship reform
By Fair Internship Initiative Mr. Guterres, why do you think interns should not be paid? It has been known for some time now that the UN Secretariat policy on internships requires reform. In 2018, the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) identified 16 benchmarks that...
UN pension fund: Two steps forward, one step back
The Assembly’s reform efforts of the past several years evoke the plight of that ancient toiler: Sisyphus: two steps forward, one step back. Real progress will require a change in the culture of the Board and fund Secretariat management. The United Nations General...
Exploring the implications of automation for jobs and places
It is a hot topic in most societies. This reflects existing issues such as unemployment, inequality and – in Europe and US – stagnant living standards It is also a response to the emergence of new business models often based on platforms such as Uber or Upwork. Beyond...
On ne badine pas avec la qualité
À l’ONU, l’automatisation et la fièvre productiviste menacent la qualité des traductions. Il existe aujourd’hui sur Internet d'excellents traducteurs automatiques gratuits, qui produisent à grand renfort d'«intelligence artificielle» des phrases très structurées et...
Views from Young UN on the future of work
What does the Next UN look like and how do we get there? The article shares findings of a study by Young UN on how we can navigate from Today’s UN – where too often bureaucracy impedes the UN’s ability to deliver on its purpose – to Next UN, an empowered organization...
The future of work
There are growing concerns that robots and artificial intelligence will soon replace humans, hence the role of businesses and governments become crucial to avoid job losses and higher inequality. Recent progress in artificial intelligence has been stunning: machines...
Reshaping our workplace culture for the future
As the upheaval of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is felt across the globe, businesses and organizations are struggling to keep up with the pace of change. The United Nations is no exception. In the 2017 UN Staff Engagement Survey, more than half of respondents...
The Future of Work: The UN Staff Members’ Perspective
The United Nations preaches to the world that we should ensure a world of social justice and decent work for all. Perhaps we should begin at home. It is always better to have a taste of our own medicine before prescribing it to others. Don’t you think? Read the...
Editorial – February 2020
This is a special editorial. It is the first of what we hope becomes a long line of welcome messages to introduce every edition of our new magazine, UN Today. After more than 70 years, UN Special has been replaced by UN Today, given the changing nature of our...