Though its population barely exceeds 200,000 people, Geneva is one of the world’s most important diplomatic centers. The International Red Cross and the World Health…
Though its population barely exceeds 200,000 people, Geneva is one of the world’s most important diplomatic centers. The International Red Cross and the World Health Organization are headquartered in the picturesque Swiss city, along with the second-largest office of the United Nations.
Geneva also hosts dozens of smaller groups working in everything from meteorology to intellectual property. Typically funded jointly by their member states, these intergovernmental organizations have been a central feature of the international order since the Second World War. But they can also hide surprises.
In the middle of a leafy neighborhood in the Geneva suburb of Petit-Lancy, a gabled stone villa hosts what might appear to be just another group of diligent international bureaucrats. The International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO), which operates out of the villa, says it’s dedicated to the mission of strengthening rescue and emergency services.
