United Nations Library&Archives Geneva

United Nations Library&Archives Geneva Our services - the UN Library&Archives Geneva and the Cultural Activities Programme at UN Geneva – are open to the public upon registration.

The Library of the United Nations Office at Geneva has been serving the international community as a centre for research and an instrument of international understanding since 1919, then part of the UN predecessor, the League of Nations. Its services include : the United Nations Library&Archives Geneva and the Cultural Activities Programme at UN Geneva – and are open to the public upon registratio

n. The United Nations Library&Archives offers researchers:
- one of the richest collections in Europe in the fields of legal, social and political sciences, as well as on all areas of UN work. It also offers a comprehensive collection of UN documents, and electronic resources.
- over six linear kilometres of archives materials consisting of organizational and personal records that document a variety of areas since 1870: the United Nations Office at Geneva Archives, the League of Nations Archives, the International Peace Movements Archives, Private archives, and other collections.
- through the Cultural Activities Programme, hosted by the Library&Archives, Member States and International Organizations are given the opportunity to present exhibitions, concerts, and performances, films and cultural conferences to the international community and to visitors to the Palais des Nations.

Discover “The Temple of Heaven” (1984), a 2.75 m by 3.65 m   offered by China in 1984, on display at the Palais des Nati...
26/04/2026

Discover “The Temple of Heaven” (1984), a 2.75 m by 3.65 m offered by China in 1984, on display at the Palais des Nations. ▶️ https://tinyurl.com/56ymf346

This artwork represents the Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan in Chinese, which is the place where the rulers of China's dynasties worshipped heaven. It took six skilled weavers six months to complete it with fine wool yarns woven tightly by hand in 275 colors and shades. Fun fact: regardless of the angle of observation, the entrance to the temple always faces the observer!☺️

The Library & Archives manages all the of UN Geneva, and once a month, we introduce you to one of more than 1,300 artworks and artefacts in this collection!

✨ This week, we welcomed the Permanent Mission of Portugal in Geneva for an in-depth look at how the Library & Archives ...
25/04/2026

✨ This week, we welcomed the Permanent Mission of Portugal in Geneva for an in-depth look at how the Library & Archives support diplomatic research. ✨

📜 We explored archival documents tracing key moments in the evolution of , materials showing the story behind major human rights milestones, and how the Mission can access resources recording ’s engagement in multilateralism over time.

🙏 Thank you to the Mission for the fascinating exchange of questions and ideas. These specialized for Permanent Missions are designed to help discover how our collections can support their work and . If you'd like to organise a session, reach out to us! ➡️ https://ask.unog.ch/library

En nome da Biblioteca e Arquivos, gostaríamos de agradecer a vossa visita. Foi um prazer tê-los connosco.

24/04/2026

🌍 On the 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞, we turn to the next generation shaping global cooperation.

We asked three young United Nations professionals to reflect on the qualities needed to navigate today's multilateral landscape. Their insights, introduced by the Director-General at UN Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya highlight the importance of openness, creativity, responsibility, collective intelligence, and the ability to build trust across cultures and perspectives.

⏩ As continues to evolve, so too must the people who carry it forward. What qualities do you think are essential for today?

🎙️ Xiaojie Sun, Abdoulkarim Saidali, Chatfah Choksomkasme
🎥 Michele Zandri, Yumei Fu, Osee Junior Ouangala Gondja, Amy L. Smith, Wouter Schallier / United Nations Library&Archives Geneva

23/04/2026

📚 It's a special day for us at Library & Archives. Each year on 23 April, the United Nations and UNESCO celebrate World Book & Copyright Day, English Language Day and Spanish Language Day. Three moments that remind us of the power of language, shared knowledge and connecting across cultures through the written word.
To celebrate, our team is sharing selected books in English and Spanish that have informed, inspired or entertained them lately!

And, discover more from our collection:
➡️ Read "Multilingualism at the United Nations" to explore why languages matter to multilateralism - available in all 6 UN official languages: https://unog.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/41UNOG_INST/1i0s9qv/alma991002463069102391

➡️ Explore a range of open source books in our collection via the Global Search Platform. You can start your search here: https://libraryresources.unog.ch/global

If you need support in finding a resource, reach out to us at Ask a Librarian: https://ask.unog.ch/library

22/03/2026

📚 What a journey! Celebrating the amazing team that moved out 46 linear kilometers of collections in record time during the renovations of the UN Library & Archives historic building at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. 🙌

Photo credits: UN Photo/UN Library & Archives Geneva -- Audio: Sonican

❓ Who should own and have a say on the next generations of AI systems underpinning our societies: a small number of tech...
21/03/2026

❓ Who should own and have a say on the next generations of AI systems underpinning our societies: a small number of tech firms, or the public?

🎙️ In our AI x Multilateralism mini-series, Joshua Tan of Metagov and Jacob Taylor from The Brookings Institution make the case for why Public AI - accountable, shared and open AI infrastructure - should be a new form of .

They explore how Public AI can help us to better reflect society's values, bring the benefits of to more people, and harness these powerful systems to solve local and cross‑border problems. They also argue why middle powers have the strongest incentive to unlock this model, and how an “Airbus for AI” approach can close rapidly widening capability gaps.

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform (links in the first comment below) ⏬

✨ C'est la Journée de la langue française !It's French Language Day! ✨ Chaque année, le 20 mars, les Nations Unies célèb...
20/03/2026

✨ C'est la Journée de la langue française !
It's French Language Day! ✨

Chaque année, le 20 mars, les Nations Unies célèbrent la richesse de la langue française, parlée par 3️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ millions de personnes à travers le monde et l’une des six langues officielles de l’ONU 🇺🇳.

Soutenir le est un volet essentiel de notre mission à la Bibliothèque et Archives. Pour explorer nos collections en français, commencez par notre Guide de recherche sur le multilinguisme, où vous trouverez un large éventail de ressources, de publications et de documents. - (voir lien dans le 1er commentaire)

Nos collections en français comprennent également des rares et historiques, qui témoignent du lien unique de la langue française avec les relations internationales, la diplomatie, le droit et la philosophie. Nous en partageons quelques-uns pour marquer cette journée !

---

Every year on 20 March the United Nations celebrates the richness of the French language, spoken by 3️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ million people across the world and one of the six official languages of the UN 🇺🇳.

Supporting is a special part of our mission at the Library & Archives. To explore our collections in French, get started with our Multilingualism Research Guide where you'll find a range of resources, publications and documents. - (see link in the first comment below)

Our French collections also include rare and historical , marking the unique connection of the French language to international relations, diplomacy, law and philosophy. We're sharing a few of them to mark this day!

☕ A morning moment of shared conversation and shared purpose ☕A snapshot of our team together with our new Director at t...
01/03/2026

☕ A morning moment of shared conversation and shared purpose ☕

A snapshot of our team together with our new Director at the UN Library & Archives Geneva, Charlotte Lindberg Warakaulle.

We're excited for this new chapter and working together to better serve our users and partners through our mission: being a centre for research, and an instrument of international understanding.

Our team of librarians, archivists and more are here to help! If you need research support or have a question, reach out and Ask Us ➡️ https://ask.unog.ch

How can we leverage AI to help predict, respond to, and better recover from crises❓In the latest episode of our AI x Mul...
28/02/2026

How can we leverage AI to help predict, respond to, and better recover from crises❓

In the latest episode of our AI x Multilateralism series, we're joined by Dr. Martin Waehlisch, Associate Professor of Transformative Technologies, Innovation and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham, and member of the Crisis Computing Project, a global community of scholars and practitioners who are driven to put computation to better use.

Martin shares:
▶️ why he talks about “computational global affairs” rather than international affairs
▶️ what exactly crisis computing means, and the kinds of crises he hopes that AI can help us to address
▶️ the potential of crisis computing at the local, regional and multilateral level, and
▶️ what's still missing in the global debate when it comes to how we use AI individually and collectively.

Find links to this episode in our first comment below ⏬

🎙️ The state of multilateralism: crisis or renaissance?🎙️ Historian Alanna O'Malley joins us on The   to explore a press...
27/02/2026

🎙️ The state of multilateralism: crisis or renaissance?🎙️

Historian Alanna O'Malley joins us on The to explore a pressing question: is multilateralism in crisis, or are we witnessing the start of a renaissance for the United Nations and global governance?

In conversation with Amy L. Smith, Professor O’Malley reflects on how actors from the Global South have quietly but profoundly reshaped the UN over decades – and what their ideas can teach us about reimagining multilateral cooperation.

Drawing on her research on the “invisible history” of the UN and decolonisation, she discusses how the UN has served as a forum, a socialisation space and an actor in its own right, and why recovering these histories matters for navigating current fractures in the international system.

💡 This conversation emerged from our collaboration with META-UN and partners HUM:Global - University of Copenhagen and INNER_LEAGUE: University of Copenhagen, who are building a sustained science–policy dialogue between and the UN family on the future of multilateralism. It is part of our broader commitment to connect historical , critical and practitioners who engage with every day.

Find direct links to this episode in the first comment below! ⏬ Happy listening! ✨

✨ Every year, we welcome a group of international relations   from Gakushuin Women's College in  , one of Japan’s oldest...
26/02/2026

✨ Every year, we welcome a group of international relations from Gakushuin Women's College in , one of Japan’s oldest institutions for ’s higher education, to our Library & Archives as part of a tour of international institutions in Geneva.

This year’s group explored our new exhibition on the of multilateralism in Geneva, as well as the Advancing Human Dignity exhibition, both located in the halls of the Palais des Nations.

We also had the chance to share a rare, signed 1905 edition of “Bushido, The Soul of Japan” by Inazo Nitobé, a Japanese delegate to the League of Nations, prolific writer, and builder of bridges between cultures.

🙌 Thank you to the wonderful group of students, led by Prof. Takafumi Nakajima, Deputy Director of the Institute of International Studies, for this meaningful moment exploring the evolution of over time.

💬 If you have questions or would like to explore our resources, you can Ask a Librarian or an Archivist!
Simply use the link in our first comment below ⏬

Adresse

The United Nations Office At Geneva, Palais Des Nations, 8-14 Avenue De La Paix
Geneva
1211

Öffnungszeiten

Montag 08:30 - 17:30
Dienstag 08:30 - 17:30
Mittwoch 08:30 - 17:30
Donnerstag 08:30 - 17:30
Freitag 08:30 - 17:30

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von United Nations Library&Archives Geneva erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.

Service Kontaktieren

Nachricht an United Nations Library&Archives Geneva senden:

Teilen