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124-536: The site of the Centre William Rappard was part of two estates formed from the Rappard and Bloch properties, and contained two mansions. The Villa Rappard was originally built in 1785 and renovated in 1894. The Villa Bloch was demolished in 1957 to make way for the south wing expansion of the Centre William Rappard. The Villa Rappard and land, situated to the north of the original site, were acquired by

248-568: A League of Nations mandate ) and the Soviet Union on 18 September 1934, but the Empire of Japan and Germany (under Hitler) withdrew in 1933. This marked the League's largest extent at 58 member states. In December 1920, Argentina quit (being absent from all sessions and votes) without formally withdrawing, on rejection of an Argentine resolution that all sovereign states would be admitted to

372-523: A tsunami wave swept along the lake, destroying the fort of Tauredunum and other settlements, and causing numerous deaths in Geneva. Simulations indicate that this Tauredunum event was most likely caused by a massive landslide near the Rhône delta, which caused a wave eight metres (26 ft) high to reach Geneva within 70 minutes. In 888, the town was part of the new Kingdom of Burgundy , and, with it,

496-533: A "league of nations to ensure peace and justice." British foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour , argued that, as a condition of durable peace, "behind international law, and behind all treaty arrangements for preventing or limiting hostilities, some form of international sanction should be devised which would give pause to the hardiest aggressor." The war had had a profound impact, affecting the social, political and economic systems of Europe and inflicting psychological and physical damage. Several empires collapsed: first

620-578: A League with the reservation that only Congress could take the U.S. into war. Lodge gained a majority of Senators and Wilson refused to allow a compromise. The Senate voted on the ratification on 19 March 1920, and the 49–35 vote fell short of the needed 2/3 majority . The League held its first council meeting in Paris on 16 January 1920, six days after the Versailles Treaty and the Covenant of

744-641: A body would be ineffective, but agreed to participate in or not impede creation of a neutral mediating body, if other nations agreed and if President Woodrow Wilson would initiate a body. In the midst of the War, Wilson refused. In 1915, a body similar to the Bryce Group was set up in the United States, led by former president William Howard Taft . It was called the League to Enforce Peace . It advocated

868-648: A chalet to the north of Lake Geneva in 1976, which inspired him to take up painting and informed the first stages of the " Berlin Trilogy ". Pop singer Phil Collins lives in a home overlooking the lake. Rock band Queen owned and operated Mountain Recording Studios (which is still in use today) in Montreux , and a statue of lead singer Freddie Mercury , who also owned a second home in Montreux, stands on

992-764: A collection of artworks, most of them donated during ILO times by governments and institutions. Some of these artworks are Maurice Denis ’s The Dignity of Labour (1931), Seán Keating ’s Irish Industrial Development (1961), Jorge Colaço ’s Grape-harvesting , Ploughing the soil and Fishing tiled panels (1928), Luc Jaggi ’s Peace and Justice statues (1925), Albert Hahn Jr. ’s Delft panel (1926), Gustave-Louis Jaulmes ’s Universal Joy , Work in Abundance and The Benefits of Leisure murals (1940), Dean Cornwell ’s murals on labour (1955), Eduardo Chicharro y Agüera ’s Pygmalion (1925), and Gilbert Bayes ’s Child with Fish (or Blue Robed Bambino ) fountain (1926). Among

1116-407: A good choice for the nations of the world. Support for Geneva as the selection came from Swiss Federal Councillor Gustave Ador and economist William Rappard. The Palais Wilson on Geneva's western lakeshore, named after Woodrow Wilson, was the League's first permanent home. The covenant had ambiguities, as Carole Fink points out. There was not a good fit between Wilson's "revolutionary conception of

1240-431: A hydrothermal network. Heat pumps are also used. This system has been developed by " Services Industriels de Genève ". All other energy sources available on the site (sun, wind, vegetation, soil characteristics) are used as well. The exceptional brightness of the lake borders is also an asset and the building has been designed so that the daylight illuminates the offices as long as possible. The Centre William Rappard houses

1364-531: A little "chalet" at the French bank, near Geneva. Actor Charlie Chaplin spent his final years and died in Vevey (there is a memorial statue of him along the promenade; his home at Corsier-sur-Vevey is now a museum of his life and career). Actors Noël Coward , James Mason , Sir Peter Ustinov , Richard Burton , and Audrey Hepburn all lived in villages on the shores of or in view of the lake. David Bowie moved to

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1488-512: A peace conference directed by Jane Addams was held in the neutral United States. The delegates adopted a platform calling for creation of international bodies with administrative and legislative powers to develop a "permanent league of neutral nations" to work for peace and disarmament. Within months, a call was made for an international women's conference to be held in The Hague . Coordinated by Mia Boissevain , Aletta Jacobs and Rosa Manus ,

1612-557: A scheme for its organisation. Together with Lord Bryce , he played a leading role in the founding of the group of internationalist pacifists known as the Bryce Group , later the League of Nations Union . The group became steadily more influential among the public and as a pressure group within the then-governing Liberal Party . In Dickinson's 1915 pamphlet After the War he wrote of his "League of Peace" as being essentially an organisation for arbitration and conciliation. He felt that

1736-621: A unified international organisation to prevent future wars. Historian Peter Yearwood argues that when the new coalition government of David Lloyd George took power in December 1916, there was widespread discussion among intellectuals and diplomats of the desirability of establishing such an organisation. When Lloyd George was challenged by Wilson to state his position with an eye on the postwar situation, he endorsed such an organisation. Wilson himself included in his Fourteen Points in January 1918

1860-797: A year in September. The special functions of the Assembly included the admission of new members, the periodical election of non-permanent members to the council, the election with the Council of the judges of the Permanent Court, and control of the budget. In practice, the Assembly was the general directing force of League activities. The Council acted as a type of executive body directing the Assembly's business. It began with four permanent members – Great Britain , France , Italy , and Japan – and four non-permanent members that were elected by

1984-654: Is a humorous depiction of a meeting at the GATT Secretariat in Geneva during the Kennedy Round period (1964-1967). Director-General Eric Wyndham White is seen at the head of a u-shaped table addressing the audience. Around the table are GATT Secretariat officers and delegates from member countries (the "contracting parties"), all of them sitting at the table, as well as interpreters, assistants, secretaries and ushers. The four women are standing and supporting

2108-623: Is divided into three parts because of its different types of formation (sedimentation, tectonic folding, glacial erosion): According to the Swiss Federal Office of Topography, Swisstopo , Lac de Genève designates that part of the Petit Lac which lies within the cantonal borders of Geneva (excluding the cantonal exclave Céligny ), so about from Versoix – Hermance to the Rhône outflow in Geneva. The Chablais Alps border

2232-696: Is its southern shore, and the western Bernese Alps lie over its eastern side. The high summits of Grand Combin and Mont Blanc are visible from some places. The lake lies on the course of the Rhône . The river has its source at the Rhône Glacier near the Grimsel Pass to the east of the lake and flows down through the canton of Valais , entering the lake between Villeneuve and Le Bouveret , before flowing slowly towards its egress at Geneva . Other tributaries are La Dranse, L'Aubonne, La Morges, La Venoge , La Vuachère, and La Veveyse. Lake Geneva

2356-429: Is still used for the only coregonid present in the lake, this is not the original species but the introduced C. palaea . Today, pollution levels have been dramatically cut back, and it is again considered safe to swim in the lake. Major leisure activities practiced include sailing, wind surfing, boating (including water skiing and wake-boarding), rowing, scuba diving, and bathing. A total of four submarines have plied

2480-587: Is the largest body of water in Switzerland, and greatly exceeds in size all others that are connected with the main valleys of the Alps . It is in the shape of a crescent, with the horns pointing south, the northern shore being 95 km (59 mi) and the southern shore 72 km (45 mi) in length. The crescent form was more regular in a recent geological period, when the lake extended to Bex , about 18 km (11 mi) south of Villeneuve. The detritus of

2604-632: Is very well when sparrows shout, but no good at all when eagles fall out." At its greatest extent from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members. After some notable successes and some early failures in the 1920s, the League ultimately proved incapable of preventing aggression by the Axis powers in the 1930s. Its credibility was weakened because the United States never joined. Japan and Germany left in 1933, Italy left in 1937, and Spain left in 1939. The Soviet Union only joined in 1934 and

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2728-536: The Alinghi 5 , the defender of the 2010 America's Cup , was influenced by those racing catamarans. The best-known event, the Bol d'or  [ fr ] (not to be confused with other events having the same name) runs from Geneva to the end of the lake and back. The Tour du Lac rowing event also takes place on Lake Geneva. Competitors row once around the entire lake, making this 160-kilometre (99 mi) event

2852-476: The F.-A. Forel , launched in Lake Geneva in 1978 and used primarily for scientific research until it was retired in 2005. In 2011, in a collaborative operation led by École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , two Mir submersibles were used for ten weeks to conduct extensive scientific research in Lake Geneva. On a scientific footnote, in 1827, Lake Geneva was the site for the first measurement of

2976-747: The 1939 New York World's Fair , a semi-official flag and emblem for the League of Nations emerged: two five-pointed stars within a blue pentagon. They symbolised the Earth's five continents and "five races ". A bow at the top displayed the English name ("League of Nations"), while another at the bottom showed the French (" Société des Nations "). The League consisted of 42 founding members in November 1920. Six other states joined in its founding year (by December 1920), and seven more joined by September 1924, bringing

3100-521: The Concert of Europe that developed after the Napoleonic Wars in the 19th century in an attempt to maintain the status quo between European states and so avoid war. By 1910, international law developed, with the first Geneva Conventions establishing laws dealing with humanitarian relief during wartime, and the international Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 governing rules of war and

3224-559: The Dents du Midi and the Dent de Morcles . The shore between Nyon and Lausanne is called La Côte because it is flatter. Between Lausanne and Vevey it is called Lavaux and is famous for its hilly vineyards. The average surface elevation of 372 m (1,220 ft) above sea level is controlled by the Seujet Dam  [ fr ] in Geneva. Due to climate change ,

3348-570: The Fourteen Points of January 1918), as well as the work of the Phillimore Commission. The outcome of House's work and Wilson's own first draft proposed the termination of "unethical" state behaviour, including forms of espionage and dishonesty. Methods of compulsion against recalcitrant states would include severe measures, such as "blockading and closing the frontiers of that power to commerce or intercourse with any part of

3472-592: The Great Powers , who would adjudicate world affairs, and for the creation of a permanent secretariat to enhance international co-operation across a range of activities. In the course of the diplomatic efforts surrounding World War I , both sides had to clarify their long-term war aims. By 1916 in Britain, fighting on the side of the Allies , and in the neutral United States, long-range thinkers had begun to design

3596-509: The Rockefeller Foundation . It made major grants designed to build up the technical expertise of the League staff. Ludovic Tournès argues that by the 1930s the foundations had changed the League from a "Parliament of Nations" to a modern think tank that used specialised expertise to provide an in-depth impartial analysis of international issues. The official languages of the League of Nations were French and English. During

3720-723: The Russian Empire in February 1917, followed by the German Empire , Austro-Hungarian Empire and Ottoman Empire . Anti-war sentiment rose across the world; the First World War was described as " the war to end all wars ", and its possible causes were vigorously investigated. The causes identified included arms races, alliances, militaristic nationalism, secret diplomacy, and the freedom of sovereign states to enter into war for their own benefit. One proposed remedy

3844-526: The Treaty of Versailles , signed on 28 June 1919. French women's rights advocates invited international feminists to participate in a parallel conference to the Paris Conference in hopes that they could gain permission to participate in the official conference. The Inter-Allied Women's Conference asked to be allowed to submit suggestions to the peace negotiations and commissions and were granted

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3968-489: The World War II George Épitaux was commissioned again to build two extensions to the north and south of the original building. Geometric shapes and symbolic decorations were used in the extensions to provide esthetic consistency. The renovation and construction performed in 2008-2013 included two major projects, changes in the original structure and a new building. Among the changes and improvements included in

4092-596: The Zürich Peace Conference held between 17 and 19 May 1919, the women of the WILPF condemned the terms of the Treaty of Versailles for both its punitive measures, as well as its failure to provide for condemnation of violence and exclusion of women from civil and political participation. Upon reading the Rules of Procedure for the League of Nations, Catherine Marshall , a British suffragist, discovered that

4216-399: The Assembly for a three-year term. The first non-permanent members were Belgium , Brazil , Greece , and Spain . The composition of the Council was changed several times. The number of non-permanent members was first increased to six on 22 September 1922 and to nine on 8 September 1926. Werner Dankwort of Germany pushed for his country to join the League; joining in 1926, Germany became

4340-498: The Assembly of the League took place on 15 November 1920. In 1919, U.S. president Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as the leading architect of the League. The diplomatic philosophy behind the League represented a fundamental shift from the preceding hundred years. The League lacked its own armed force and depended on the victorious Allied Powers of World War I (Britain, France, Italy and Japan were

4464-651: The Centre William Rappard. The Geneva Window (1930) by Harry Clarke , which was commissioned by the Irish government as a gift to the ILO, was never sent to Geneva. Eduardo Chicharro y Agüera 's Pygmalion was covered in 1936 and remained hidden during 70 years. Other artworks have been removed, covered or destroyed, such as Albert Hahn Jr. 's Building the Future , Gustave Louis Jaulmes 's The Triumphant Peace murals, and Dean Cornwell murals on labour (the three works removed by

4588-737: The Centre became the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO), that is the current tenant of the building. In 1998 a conference centre was built next to Rue de Lausanne, by the Swiss architect Ugo Brunoni. In 2007, following research conducted at the ILO archives and WTO locations, various hidden artworks were rediscovered and exposed to visitors. After the creation of the WTO, the organization lacked space for staff and delegates for their daily meetings. After considering several options,

4712-583: The Council take action aiming at the international organisation of intellectual work, which it did by adopting a report presented by the Fifth Committee of the Second Assembly and inviting a committee on intellectual co-operation to meet in Geneva in August 1922. The French philosopher Henri Bergson became the first chairman of the committee. The work of the committee included: an inquiry into

4836-514: The GATT Secretariat in 1975). Many of them were recovered, restored and placed in their original locations during the renovation of the building in 2008-2013. In 2019, the caricature painting In GATT We Trust by Claude Namy was removed from public exhibition. Following the approval by the Swiss federal authorities, on 6 April 2009 the city of Geneva approved the expansion of the Centre William Rappard. The work included major changes in

4960-492: The ILO in 1963. The Swiss Confederation acquired the Bloch property in 1921 and donated it to the League of Nations in 1923. Later that year, the Swiss architect George Épitaux (1873–1957) was commissioned to build the new ILO headquarters. The construction lasted three years, and the new building was inaugurated on 6 June 1926. Wings were added to the north-east (1937), south-west (1938), south (1951), and south-east (1957). In 1975

5084-804: The ILO moved to neighbouring Grand Saconnex and the property was owned by the Building Foundation for International Organizations (FIPOI), of the Swiss Confederation and the Canton of Geneva. In 1977, the building was renovated and named Centre William Rappard after the Swiss diplomat William Rappard (1883–1958). That year, it was occupied by the secretariat of the GATT, the UNHCR, and the Graduate Institute's library. In 1995,

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5208-400: The League as a solid replacement for a corrupt alliance system, a guardian of international order, and protector of small states," versus Lloyd George's desire for a "cheap, self-enforcing, peace, such as had been maintained by the old and more fluid Concert of Europe." Furthermore, the League, according to Carole Fink, was, "deliberately excluded from such great-power prerogatives as freedom of

5332-605: The League failed to achieve its main goal of world peace , it did manage to build new roads towards expanding the rule of law across the globe; strengthened the concept of collective security , gave a voice to smaller nations; fostered economic stabilisation and financial stability , especially in Central Europe in the 1920s; helped to raise awareness of problems like epidemics , slavery , child labour , colonial tyranny, refugee crises and general working conditions through its numerous commissions and committees; and paved

5456-502: The League of Nations came into force. On 1 November 1920, the headquarters of the League was moved from London to Geneva , where the first General Assembly was held on 15 November 1920. Geneva made sense as an ideal city for the League, since Switzerland had been a neutral country for centuries and was already the headquarters for the International Red Cross. Its strong democracy and location in central Europe made it

5580-465: The League of Nations was signed on 28 June 1919 as Part I of the Treaty of Versailles , and it became effective with the rest of the Treaty on 10 January 1920. Australia was granted the right to participate as an autonomous member nation, marking the start of Australian independence on the global stage. The first meeting of the Council of the League took place on 16 January 1920, and the first meeting of

5704-601: The League of Nations, Afghanistan abolished slavery in 1923, Iraq in 1924, Nepal in 1926, Transjordan and Persia in 1929, Bahrain in 1937, and Ethiopia in 1942. Led by Fridtjof Nansen , the Commission for Refugees was established on 27 June 1921 to look after the interests of refugees, including overseeing their repatriation and, when necessary, resettlement. At the end of the First World War, there were two to three million ex-prisoners of war from various nations dispersed throughout Russia; within two years of

5828-467: The League on the grounds that "Ethiopia had not reached a state of civilisation and internal security sufficient to warrant her admission." The League also succeeded in reducing the death rate of workers constructing the Tanganyika railway from 55 to 4 per cent. Records were kept to control slavery, prostitution, and the trafficking of women and children . Partly as a result of pressure brought by

5952-596: The League's size to 55. Costa Rica withdrew in December 1924, making it the member to have most quickly withdrawn, and Brazil became the first founding member to withdraw in June 1926. Germany (under the Weimar Republic ) was admitted to the League of Nations through a resolution passed on 8 September 1926. The League's size remained at 54 for the next five years. Through the first half of the 1930s, six more states joined, including Iraq in 1932 (newly independent from

6076-466: The League. It resumed its participation in September 1933. The League's membership declined through the second half of the 1930s as it weakened. Between 1935 and the start of World War II in Europe in September 1939, only Egypt joined (becoming the last state to join), 11 members left, and 3 members ceased to exist or fell under military occupation (Ethiopia, Austria, and Czechoslovakia). The Soviet Union

6200-586: The League. The British were particularly active in setting up junior branches for secondary students. The League of Nations was relatively more universal and inclusive in its membership and structure than previous international organisations, but the organisation enshrined racial hierarchy by curtailing the right to self-determination and prevented decolonisation. At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, Wilson, Cecil and Smuts all put forward their draft proposals. After lengthy negotiations between

6324-471: The League: representation had been accorded not only to governments but also to representatives of employers' and workers' organisations. Albert Thomas was its first director. The ILO successfully restricted the addition of lead to paint, and convinced several countries to adopt an eight-hour work day and forty-eight-hour working week. It also campaigned to end child labour, increase the rights of women in

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6448-645: The Legal Status of Women sought to inquire into the status of women all over the world. It was formed in 1937, and later became part of the United Nations as the Commission on the Status of Women. Lake Geneva Lake Geneva is a deep lake on the north side of the Alps , shared between Switzerland and France . It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe and the largest on

6572-415: The Paris-based Office international d'hygiène publique (OIHP) founded in 1907 after the International Sanitary Conferences , was discharging most of the practical health-related questions, and its relations with the League's Health Committee were often conflictual. The Health Committee's purpose was to conduct inquiries, oversee the operation of the League's health work, and prepare work to be presented to

6696-409: The Permanent Court of International Justice and several other agencies and commissions created to deal with pressing international problems. These included the Disarmament Commission, the International Labour Organization (ILO) , the Mandates Commission, the International Commission on Intellectual Cooperation (precursor to UNESCO ), the Permanent Central Opium Board , the Commission for Refugees,

6820-419: The Republic of Nicaragua . Furthermore, the artist reproduced the motto in a way that the capital “T” of Trust is placed at a lower level than the text, leaving the title to be read as “In GATT We Rust”. This painting "was on display for 30 years in what is now Room Y, in the small cafeteria. It was removed in 2007 to uncover Eduardo Chicharro ’s Pygmalion , and was then placed at the service entrance and, after

6944-411: The Rhône has filled up this portion of the bed of the lake, and it appears that within the historical period, the waters extended about 2 km (1.2 mi) beyond the present eastern margin of the lake. The greatest depth of the lake, in the broad portion between Évian-les-Bains and Lausanne , where it is just 13 km (8.1 mi) in width, has been measured as 310 m (1,020 ft), putting

7068-455: The Secretariat was responsible for preparing the agenda for the Council and the Assembly and publishing reports of the meetings and other routine matters, effectively acting as the League's civil service. In 1931 the staff numbered 707. The Assembly consisted of representatives of all members of the League, with each state allowed up to three representatives and one vote. It met in Geneva and, after its initial sessions in 1920, it convened once

7192-424: The Slavery Commission, and the Economic and Financial Organization . Three of these institutions were transferred to the United Nations after the Second World War: the International Labour Organization, the Permanent Court of International Justice (as the International Court of Justice ), and the Health Organisation (restructured as the World Health Organization ). The Permanent Court of International Justice

7316-409: The Swiss authorities and the WTO have reached an agreement in early August 2008 to renovate, extend and improve the Centre William Rappard. This was the best solution in terms of cost and efficiency. In 2008 the renovation and extension of the building was approved by the Swiss Confederation. Works started in 2009, and added an extension providing 300 new work posts (out of total 1,200 potential places in

7440-409: The aggressors in the conflict. The onset of the Second World War in 1939 showed that the League had failed its primary purpose: to prevent another world war. It was largely inactive until its abolition. The League lasted for 26 years; the United Nations (UN) replaced it in 1946 and inherited several agencies and organisations founded by the League. Current scholarly consensus views that, even though

7564-465: The average temperature of deep water (more than 300 metres or 980 feet deep) increased from 4.4 °C (39.9 °F) in 1963 to 5.5 °C (41.9 °F) in 2016 (an increase of 1.1 °C or 2.0 °F in 53 years), while the average temperature of surface water (five metres or 16 feet deep) increased from 10.9 °C (51.6 °F) in 1970 to 12.9 °C (55.2 °F) in 2016 (up 2 °C or 3.6 °F in 46 years). Lake Geneva (and particularly

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7688-445: The basis of a life cycle assessment, considering all the energy required for their production, manufacture, use and recycling. The extension is one element of the border lake landscape. Its glass structure reflects the natural surroundings in a way that the building integrates to the landscape. One of the objectives of the WTO has been to construct a building requiring very low energy consumption. Energy savings are fully effective owing to

7812-420: The bolder summits of the Grammont , Cornettes de Bise , and Dent d'Oche , but are seen from Geneva, and between Nyon and Morges . From Vevey to Bex, where the lake originally extended, the shores are enclosed by comparatively high and bold mountains, and the vista terminates in the grand portal of the defile of St. Maurice , cleft to a depth of nearly 2,700 m (8,900 ft) between the opposite peaks of

7936-409: The bottom of the lake at 62 m (203 ft) above sea level . The lake's surface is the lowest point of the cantons of Valais and Vaud. The culminating point of the lake's drainage basin is Monte Rosa at 4,634 metres above sea level. The beauty of the shores of the lake and of the sites of many of the places near its banks has long been celebrated. However, it is only from the eastern end of

8060-411: The commission's foundation, it had helped 425,000 of them return home. It established camps in Turkey in 1922 to aid the country with an ongoing refugee crisis, helping to prevent the spread of cholera , smallpox and dysentery as well as feeding the refugees in the camps. It also established the Nansen passport as a means of identification for stateless people . The Committee for the Study of

8184-463: The commission's results were later incorporated into the Covenant of the League of Nations . The French authorities also drafted a much more far-reaching proposal in June 1918; they advocated annual meetings of a council to settle all disputes, as well as an "international army" to enforce its decisions. American President Woodrow Wilson instructed Edward M. House to draft a US plan which reflected Wilson's own idealistic views (first articulated in

8308-516: The conditions of intellectual life, assistance to countries where intellectual life was endangered, creation of national committees for intellectual cooperation, cooperation with international intellectual organisations, protection of intellectual property, inter-university co-operation, co-ordination of bibliographical work and international interchange of publications, and international co-operation in archaeological research. The Slavery Commission sought to eradicate slavery and slave trading across

8432-460: The congress, which opened on 28 April 1915 was attended by 1,136 participants from neutral nations, and resulted in the establishment of an organisation which would become the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). At the close of the conference, two delegations of women were dispatched to meet European heads of state over the next several months. They secured agreement from reluctant foreign ministers, who overall felt that such

8556-492: The council or the Assembly. The Court was open to all the nations of the world under certain broad conditions. The International Labour Organization was created in 1919 on the basis of Part XIII of the Treaty of Versailles. The ILO, although having the same members as the League and being subject to the budget control of the Assembly, was an autonomous organisation with its own Governing Body, its own General Conference and its own Secretariat. Its constitution differed from that of

8680-436: The council. This body focused on ending leprosy , malaria , and yellow fever , the latter two by starting an international campaign to exterminate mosquitoes. The Health Organisation also worked successfully with the government of the Soviet Union to prevent typhus epidemics, including organising a large education campaign. Linked with health, but also commercial concerns, was the topic of narcotics control. Introduced by

8804-552: The course of the Rhône . Sixty percent (345.31 km or 133.32 sq mi) of the lake belongs to Switzerland (the cantons of Vaud , Geneva and Valais ) and forty percent (234.71 km or 90.62 sq mi) to France (the department of Haute-Savoie ). While the exact origins of the name are unknown, the name Lacus Lemanus was in use during the time of Julius Caesar . Lemannus comes from Ancient Greek Liménos Límnē ( Λιμένος Λίμνη ) meaning "port's lake". It became Lacus Lausonius , although this name

8928-549: The creation of a mandate system for captured colonies of the Central Powers during the war. Cecil focused on the administrative side and proposed annual council meetings and quadrennial meetings for the Assembly of all members. He also argued for a large and permanent secretariat to carry out the League's administrative duties. According to historian Patricia Clavin, Cecil and the British continued their leadership of

9052-434: The death warrant of English King Charles I , was granted on 16 April 1662 protection in and continued to live at Vevey until his death in 1692. Mary and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron holidayed by the lake and wrote ghost stories, one of which became the basis for the novel Frankenstein . The Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi) was stabbed to death on the quayside in Geneva in September 1898. Vladimir Lenin rented

9176-528: The delegates, the Hurst – Miller draft was finally produced as a basis for the Covenant . After more negotiation and compromise, the delegates finally approved of the proposal to create the League of Nations ( French : Société des Nations , German : Völkerbund ) on 25 January 1919. The final Covenant of the League of Nations was drafted by a special commission, and the League was established by Part I of

9300-616: The depths of Lake Geneva. In 1964, Jacques Piccard launched a tourist-oriented submarine, the Auguste Piccard (named for his explorer father ), for the Swiss National Exhibition, meant to honor the Expo 64 theme of accomplishments by Swiss engineers and industry. After operating through to 1965 in Lake Geneva, Piccard used the vessel for scientific exploration in other parts of the world. Piccard later built

9424-478: The development of a rules-based global order into the 1920s and 1930s, with a primary focus on the League of Nations. The British goal was to systematise and normalise the economic and social relations between states, markets, and civil society. They gave priority to business and banking issues, but also considered the needs of ordinary women, children and the family as well. They moved beyond high-level intellectual discussions, and set up local organisations to support

9548-415: The exploding gunpowder provided the visual starting cue for the timepiece, and the underwater explosion sound striking a bell provided the finish cue. The lake is rich in wildlife, especially birds: both the common buzzard and the red kite breed here in considerable numbers. Yacht racing is a popular sport, and high-performance catamarans have been developed specifically for the lake. The design of

9672-431: The fifth permanent member of the Council. Later, after Germany and Japan both left the League, the number of non-permanent seats was increased from nine to eleven, and the Soviet Union was made a permanent member giving the council a total of fifteen members. The Council met, on average, five times a year and in extraordinary sessions when required. In total, 107 sessions were held between 1920 and 1939. The League oversaw

9796-413: The first construction was 86.30 x 33.80 metres, with the top of the central cupola at 32 metres from the floor level. Entirely built in cement, some areas also include granite from Ticino and sandstone from Würenlos ( Aargau ). Épitaux hired renowned sculptors and artisans, including Luc Jaggi (1887–1976), Maurice Sarki (Sarkissoff) (1882–1946), León Perrin (1886–1978), and others. Immediately after

9920-400: The guidelines were completely undemocratic and they were modified based on her suggestion. The League would be made up of a Assembly (representing all member states), a Council (with membership limited to major powers), and a permanent Secretariat. Member states were expected to "respect and preserve as against external aggression" the territorial integrity of other members and to disarm "to

10044-456: The idea of a league of nations to control conflict and promote peace between states. Kant argued for the establishment of a peaceful world community, not in a sense of a global government, but in the hope that each state would declare itself a free state that respects its citizens and welcomes foreign visitors as fellow rational beings, thus promoting peaceful society worldwide. International co-operation to promote collective security originated in

10168-484: The indoor capacity, including the Atrium in the former north courtyard and large meeting rooms in the south courtyard. 2011-2013: construction of the new building between the former south parking and the park. The original building by Lausanne-born George Épitaux was based on a classical Florentine villa, with an interior courtyard, grand entrance and a sweeping staircase leading up from the main entrance hall. The size of

10292-610: The initial permanent members of the Council) to enforce its resolutions, keep to its economic sanctions, or provide an army when needed. The Great Powers were often reluctant to do so. Sanctions could hurt League members, so they were reluctant to comply with them. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War , when the League accused Italian soldiers of targeting International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement medical tents, Benito Mussolini responded that "the League

10416-457: The installation of solar panels that reap enough energy to heat the water used by the WTO. A protective film installed on the windows also helps to create better insulation, repeals ultraviolet radiations and reduces energy costs. Lake Geneva has become the natural air conditioning of the building ("Genève-Lac-Nations" network). Heating and cooling systems are supplied by the deep waters of the lake, which are transported and distributed according to

10540-449: The internal courtyards, and a new wing on what was the south parking. Following Swiss standards for the protection of international organizations and foreign officers, security installations were built, including a perimeter around the building. Budget was 150 million Swiss Francs, including 70 million by the Swiss Confederation and 60 million as a loan by FIPOI. The City Council approved the expansion with 50 votes in favour and 17 against it,

10664-557: The lake, between Vevey and Villeneuve, that the scenery assumes an Alpine character. On the south side, the mountains of Savoy and Valais are for the most part rugged and sombre, while those of the northern shore fall in gentle vine-covered slopes, thickly set with villages and castles. The snowy peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif are shut out from the western end of the lake by the Voirons mountain, and from its eastern end by

10788-549: The lakeside parts of the city of Geneva) can be affected by the cold Bise , a northeasterly wind. This can lead to severe icing in winter. The strength of the Bise wind can be determined by the difference in air pressure between Geneva and Güttingen in canton of Thurgau . The Bise arises when the air pressure in Güttingen is higher than in Geneva. In 563, according to the writings of Gregory of Tours and Marius Aventicensis ,

10912-538: The latter including "A gauche toute!" and UDC parties. Christian Zaugg and Pierre Vanek of "A gauche toute!" advanced that a referendum would be held to oppose the construction. Against the advice of the majority of Geneva political leaders, including the responsible for municipal and cantonal constructions Mark Muller of the Liberal Party, and Sandrine Salerno of the Socialist Party, the organisers of

11036-732: The longest non-stop rowing regatta in the world. Several competitions for swimmers are organised yearly, the longest of which spans the length of the lake from Chillon Castle to Geneva (70km) and is known as The Signature . Other events include the crossing of the lake from Lausanne to Evian (13km), from Montreux to Clarens (1.8 km), in Geneva (1.8 km), all in summer, and the Coupe de Noël , 125m in Geneva in December. Canton of Valais (VS): Haute-Savoie : Canton of Vaud (VD): Haute-Savoie : VD: ( * Lac de Genève, see also Geography ) Haute-Savoie: Canton of Geneva (GE): VD: GE: Edmund Ludlow , famous as one who had signed

11160-535: The lowest point consistent with domestic safety." All states were required to submit complaints for arbitration or judicial inquiry before going to war. The Council would create a Permanent Court of International Justice to make judgements on the disputes. Despite Wilson's efforts to establish and promote the League, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1919, the United States never joined. Senate Republicans led by Henry Cabot Lodge wanted

11284-464: The modern world. The League's primary goals were stated in its eponymous Covenant . They included preventing wars through collective security and disarmament and settling international disputes through negotiation and arbitration . Its other concerns included labour conditions, just treatment of native inhabitants, human and drug trafficking , the arms trade, global health, prisoners of war, and protection of minorities in Europe. The Covenant of

11408-488: The painting should be removed, which was done on 2 October 2019. This occurrence of art censorship was later followed by Keith Rockwell of the WTO information and media relations division when he asked to delete what he considered sensitive information from the manuscript of a book chapter dedicated to the removal of In GATT We Trust . League of Nations The League of Nations ( LN or LoN ; French : Société des Nations [sɔsjete de nɑsjɔ̃] , SdN )

11532-538: The peaceful settlement of international disputes. Theodore Roosevelt at the acceptance for his Nobel Prize in 1910, said: "it would be a masterstroke if those great powers honestly bent on peace would form a League of Peace." One small forerunner of the League of Nations, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), was formed by the peace activists William Randal Cremer and Frédéric Passy in 1889 (and still exists as an international body focused on

11656-589: The recent donations and acquisitions are Jean-Claude Prêtre 's Danaé World Suite / 11 September 2001 , and Catherine Bolle 's Outre Terre . Under the trees in the street-side of the Centre William Rappard, a Chinese Garden has been donated in 2013 by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Municipal Government of Suzhou to celebrate the tenth anniversary of China's accession to the WTO. There have been various occurrences of art suppression in

11780-496: The referendum obtained 6,919 signatures supporting their project (versus a minimum of 4,000). However, after verification only 4,022 signatures were validated. The referendum took place on 27 September 2009, with 61.8 per cent of voters supporting the expansion of the Centre William Rappard (turnout 39.5 per cent) "By accepting this project, Genevans showed their commitment to the international city and to multiculturalism" declared Sandrine Salerno. Director-General Pascal Lamy said that

11904-498: The renovation are the transformation of the former north courtyard of the original building in an Atrium. This was developed by Group8 Architects of Geneva, who focused on modernization, space optimization, respect for the past, and transformation with respect for the environment. The new building in the south of the Centre William Rappard, by Jen Wittfoht of Stuttgart , Germany , achieves discretion, dialogue between modern and classic, efficiency, low energy standards and integration to

12028-687: The renovation, in the Delegates Room. In 2013, it was finally hung in Room B" By June 2019, within the context of the MeToo movement, negative perceptions arose among staff members. The painting was removed from Room B and later placed in the access of the main entrance hall to the lakeside terrace. After several internal discussions that were dominated by the gender debate, the Director-General Roberto Azevêdo decided that

12152-434: The results of the referendum "will encourage us to extend our outreach to you even further”. In October 2019, after a heated debate and strong resistance by many WTO staff members and delegates, the caricature painting In GATT We Trust by the interpreter and artist Claude Namy was removed from the entrance hall and sent to an underground deposit. The painting (1.10 m high, 1.85 m wide, acrylic on canvas) dates from 1966. It

12276-509: The right to sit on commissions dealing specifically with women and children. Though they asked for enfranchisement and full legal protection under the law equal with men, those rights were ignored. Women won the right to serve in all capacities, including as staff or delegates in the League of Nations organisation. They also won a declaration that member nations should prevent trafficking of women and children and should equally support humane conditions for children, women and men labourers. At

12400-548: The seas and naval disarmament, the Monroe Doctrine and the internal affairs of the French and British empires, and inter-Allied debts and German reparations, not to mention the Allied intervention and the settlement of borders with Soviet Russia." Although the United States never joined, unofficial observers became more and more involved, especially in the 1930s. American philanthropies became heavily involved, especially

12524-545: The seat of the League at Geneva, comprised a body of experts in various spheres under the direction of the general secretary . Its principal sections were Political, Financial and Economics, Transit, Minorities and Administration (administering the Saar and Danzig ), Mandates, Disarmament, Health, Social (Opium and Traffic in Women and Children), Intellectual Cooperation and International Bureaux, Legal, and Information. The staff of

12648-577: The second International Opium Convention , the Permanent Central Opium Board had to supervise the statistical reports on trade in opium , morphine, cocaine and heroin. The board also established a system of import certificates and export authorisations for the legal international trade in narcotics . The League of Nations had devoted serious attention to the question of international intellectual cooperation since its creation. The First Assembly in December 1920 recommended that

12772-542: The secret diplomacy of the early twentieth century had brought about war, and thus, could write that, "the impossibility of war, I believe, would be increased in proportion as the issues of foreign policy should be known to and controlled by public opinion." The 'Proposals' of the Bryce Group were circulated widely, both in England and the US, where they had a profound influence on the nascent international movement. In January 1915,

12896-481: The space (street, park and lake). The WTO is located in a natural setting and its building extension is part of a sustainable development approach. The first priority has been given to preserve biodiversity and natural areas. This is why the WTO has followed the Minergie P standard and has chosen non-polluting and recyclable materials for the new building as well as the renovation of CWR. Materials have been selected on

13020-400: The speed of sound in (fresh) water. French mathematician Jacques Charles François Sturm and Swiss physicist Daniel Collodon used two moored boats, separated by a measured distance, as the transmitting and receiving platforms for the sounds of exploding gunpowder. The loud airborne sound coupled into the lake, establishing a loud underwater sound that could be measured at a distance. The flash of

13144-474: The use of arbitration in conflict resolution and the imposition of sanctions on aggressive countries. None of these early organisations envisioned a continuously functioning body; with the exception of the Fabian Society in England, they maintained a legalistic approach that would limit the international body to a court of justice. The Fabians were the first to argue for a "council" of states, necessarily

13268-465: The way for new forms of statehood, as the mandate system put the colonial powers under international observation. Professor David Kennedy portrays the League as a unique moment when international affairs were "institutionalised", as opposed to the pre-First World War methods of law and politics. The concept of a peaceful community of nations had been proposed as early as 1795, when Immanuel Kant 's Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch outlined

13392-480: The whole building) and an underground car park with 200 places). Furthermore, the original building was fully renovated to add more working space for staff members, delegates and visitors. Works were performed in three phases: 2008–2011, renovation of the General Council Room, modernization of infrastructure (electricity, plumbing, heating), and creation of new rooms. 2010–2012, densifying and increasing

13516-408: The work of the male ambassadors and officers. In the foreground, the chief interpreter holds a folder and casts a surreptitious glance at the buttocks of one of the female assistants. The humorous intention is condensed in the legend inscribed on the bottom of the illustration, “In GATT We Trust”, which is a witty paraphrase of “ In God We Trust ”, the official motto of the United States of America and

13640-623: The workplace, and make shipowners liable for accidents involving seamen. After the demise of the League, the ILO became an agency of the United Nations in 1946. The League's Health Organisation had three bodies: the Health Bureau, containing permanent officials of the League; the General Advisory Council or Conference, an executive section consisting of medical experts; and the Health Committee. In practice,

13764-463: The world and to use any force that may be necessary..." The two principal drafters and architects of the covenant of the League of Nations were the British politician Lord Robert Cecil and the South African statesman Jan Smuts . Smuts's proposals included the creation of a council of the great powers as permanent members and a non-permanent selection of the minor states. He also proposed

13888-493: The world's various elected legislative bodies). The IPU was founded with an international scope, with a third of the members of parliaments (in the 24 countries that had parliaments) serving as members of the IPU by 1914. Its foundational aims were to encourage governments to solve international disputes by peaceful means. Annual conferences were established to help governments refine the process of international arbitration. Its structure

14012-406: The world, and fought forced prostitution. Its main success was through pressing the governments who administered mandated countries to end slavery in those countries. The League secured a commitment from Ethiopia to end slavery as a condition of membership in 1923, and worked with Liberia to abolish forced labour and intertribal slavery. The United Kingdom had not supported Ethiopian membership of

14136-477: Was absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire in 1033. In the late 1960s, pollution made it dangerous to swim at some beaches of the lake; indeed, visibility underwater was near zero. By the 1980s, intense environmental pollution ( eutrophication ) had almost wiped out all the fish. Endemic whitefish species Coregonus fera was last recorded in the lake in 1920 and is now extinct. Although the name fera

14260-409: Was allocated by the Assembly (the League was supported financially by its member states). The relations between the assembly and the council and the competencies of each were for the most part not explicitly defined. Each body could deal with any matter within the sphere of competence of the league or affecting peace in the world. Particular questions or tasks might be referred to either. Unanimity

14384-533: Was also used for a town or district on the lake, Lacus Losanetes , and then the Lac de Lausanne in the Middle Ages . Following the rise of Geneva it became Lac de Genève (translated into English as Lake Geneva ), but Le Léman was the common name on all local maps and is the customary name in the French language. In contemporary English , the name Lake Geneva has become predominant. Lake Geneva

14508-503: Was designed as a council headed by a president, which would later be reflected in the structure of the League. At the start of the First World War, the first schemes for an international organisation to prevent future wars began to gain considerable public support, particularly in Great Britain and the United States. Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson , a British political scientist, coined the term "League of Nations" in 1914 and drafted

14632-498: Was expelled in 1939 after invading Finland . Furthermore, the League demonstrated an irresolute approach to sanction enforcement for fear it might only spark further conflict, further decreasing its credibility. One example of this hesitancy was the Abyssinia Crisis , in which Italy's sanctions were only limited from the outset (coal and oil were not restricted), and later altogether abandoned despite Italy being declared

14756-669: Was expelled on 14 December 1939 for invading Finland , as one of the last acts of the League before it ceased functioning. The main constitutional organs of the League were the Assembly, the council, and the Permanent Secretariat. It also had two essential wings: the Permanent Court of International Justice and the International Labour Organization . In addition, there were several auxiliary agencies and bodies. Each organ's budget

14880-483: Was led by Walter Phillimore (and became known as the Phillimore Committee), but also included Eyre Crowe , William Tyrrell , and Cecil Hurst . The recommendations of the so-called Phillimore Commission included the establishment of a "Conference of Allied States" that would arbitrate disputes and impose sanctions on offending states. The proposals were approved by the British government, and much of

15004-407: Was provided for by the Covenant, but not established by it. The Council and the Assembly established its constitution. Its judges were elected by the Council and the Assembly, and its budget was provided by the latter. The Court was to hear and decide any international dispute which the parties concerned submitted to it. It might also give an advisory opinion on any dispute or question referred to it by

15128-469: Was required for the decisions of both the assembly and the council, except in matters of procedure and some other specific cases such as the admission of new members. This requirement was a reflection of the league's belief in the sovereignty of its component nations; the league sought a solution by consent, not by dictation. In case of a dispute, the consent of the parties to the dispute was not required for unanimity. The Permanent Secretariat, established at

15252-432: Was the creation of an international organisation whose aim was to prevent future war through disarmament, open diplomacy, international co-operation, restrictions on the right to wage war, and penalties that made war unattractive. In London Balfour commissioned the first official report into the matter in early 1918, under the initiative of Lord Robert Cecil . The British committee was finally appointed in February 1918. It

15376-482: Was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace . It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War . The main organisation ceased operations on 18 April 1946 when many of its components were relocated into the new United Nations . As the template for modern global governance, the League profoundly shaped

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