META UN Launch Conference in Geneva

The META UN launch conference began on February 6 at the Library of the Palais des Nations in Geneva, bringing together researchers from the European University Alliance 4EU+, as well as experts from the United Nations, the ILO, and the World Bank. This event focuses on international law, global governance, and the evolving role of the UN.

Among the speakers and moderators, Professor Patrick Cohrs from the University of Florence shared his insights on the challenges of the international order. He notably highlighted the limits of Westernization in international relations and the crucial role of historical analysis in shaping public policies. His reflections, highlighted in his interview with geneveMonde.ch, emphasize the need for legitimate leadership in global governance, particularly from countries facing internal political challenges, such as Germany or France.

The various conference presentations also shed light on historians' contributions to the grand narrative of international Geneva. Véronique Stenger, historian at geneveMonde.ch, presented the work carried out by the International Geneva History platform over the past two and a half years. Professor Sandrine Kott from the University of Geneva and Alanna O'Malley from Leiden University also discussed the imbalanced power dynamics between Global South and Northern countries throughout the 20th century, as well as the dichotomy between Western and Eastern Europe in a post-Cold War balance of power strategy.

Alanna O'Malley gave an interview to geneveMonde.ch, which will be published tomorrow on geneveMonde.ch.