And finally our tour of the Palais des Nations started. We were guided by a UN official, who went by the name of Hanuk, a Turkish national. Ours was group of about 20 - mostly Europeans, some Africans and Latin Americans.
Hanuk gave us a brief about the the Palais des Nations. The Palais was home to the League of Nations, a world-body that preceded the UN. The League of Nations was founded in 1920 in aftermath of the First World War as an outcome of the Treaty of Versailles.
To design the League's headquarters an architecture competition was held but the jury was unable to decide on a winner. Ultimately, the five architects behind the leading entries were chosen to collaborate on a final design. These architects were Julien Flegenheimer of Switzerland, Camille Lefèvre and Henri-Paul Nénot of France, Carlo Broggi of Italy and József Vágó of Hungary.
The Palace is located in Ariana Park, which was bequeathed to the City of Geneva in 1890 by a local businessman, Gustave de Revilliod de la Rive, on three conditions: that the park always remain accessible to the public, that he be buried in the park, and that peacocks roam freely on its grounds, which they do to this day.
Contributions from members states were used for the construction and interior works. Beneath the foundation of the Palais des Nations, a time capsule was buried, which contains a document listing the names of the League of Nations member states, a copy of the Covenant of the League, and specimen coins of all the countries represented at the league's Tenth Assembly. A medal showing the Palais des Nations with the Jura Mountains in the background was struck in silvered bronze.
The Palais des Nations was completed in 1936 and it overlooks Lake Geneva and the French Alps.
In a few years after its completion, the Second World War broke out rendering the League ineffective. After the war was over, the League was dissolved and its assets were passed on the newly created United Nations. This included the Palais, despite the fact that the Swiss decided against joining newly created world-body. However, they agreed to let the UN use Geneva as its base.
After its transfer to the UN, the Palais was expanded with two extensions and additional floors.
Our first point of call was the beautiful and stunning Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room...
Hanuk briefing us about the conference room...
This conference room usually hosts discussions on human rights...
The ornate ceiling of the Alliance of Civilizations Room was a gift to the UN from King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain in 2008...
The artwork consists of a multi-colored installation of paint-flecked stalactites covering the conference room's 1500 square meters ceiling. It is indeed unique because the ceiling looks different from various part of the conference room...
The artwork cost about USD 25 million and was designed by Spanish artist Miquel Barceló...
However, the spectacular artwork became controversial after Spanish politicians raised question marks on the raison d'être of its funding. Their contention was that the money could have been better utilized to fight poverty and aid healthcare in the developing world...
While there is merit in these arguments, it doesn't take away the appreciation that Miquel Barceló deserves for creating this masterpiece...
The Palais is also home to various artworks donated by member states like the one above from Iran...
...and this tapestry of the Temple of Heaven from China. Oh yes! We had visited this temple in 2013...
A depiction of an Arab marketplace...
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