Timeline

Peace & Disarmament

QUNO’s peace and disarmament work in Geneva recognizes the relationship between peace, development and the environment.
July 2024

QUNO Geneva hosts annual summer school  

QUNO Geneva recently hosted its annual Quaker UN Summer School (QUNSS) from July 1 to 12, 2024, organized around the theme "The Puzzle of International Geneva: Working Together for a Just, Equitable, and Peaceful Future for All." Through this theme, the programme explored how States, UN organizations, international groups, civil society, and grassroots organizations engage with one another and the mechanisms in Geneva. The participants learned where QUNO fits in the puzzle, using our dialogue and a commitment to the long term to advocate for peace, justice, and sustainability.   

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March 2024

Telling the story of working to develop a common view of corporate responsibility in the arms trade

QUNO’S Peace & Disarmament programme based in Geneva recently participated in the George Washington International Law Review Symposium, “A world under fire: examining the global impact of gun trafficking and violence”.

Florence Foster, the programme’s Representative, outlined how QUNO has worked at the United Nations (UN), with multilateral organisations, government delegations and non-governmental organisations to achieve change in international standards and practice on arms control – with a particular focus on corporate responsibility in the arms sector. 

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March 2024

QUNO Review 2024

QUNO is proud to announce that the latest version of our annual review is now available online! This is a great opportunity to read and learn more about the work of our New York and Geneva offices during this past year, and to learn about the work ahead.

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February 2024

QUNO calls on businesses to ensure arms exports do not infringe on human rights

As 2024 begins, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) Geneva’s Peace and Disarmament programme has focused on its work on corporate responsibility in the arms trade, emphasising people at the center of arms control discourses and ensuring that states and businesses uphold their roles and responsibilities. 

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January 2024

Exploring Special Procedures to Enhance Conflict Prevention

‘‘Full compliance with human rights is the best antidote to the inequalities, unaddressed grievances and exclusion which are often at the root of instability and conflict,” said Volker Türk, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) shares this understanding of the inextricable link between human rights and peace. The protection and promotion of human rights is essential for achieving sustainable peace and in turn sustaining peace can help promote and protect human rights and create just and equitable societies. 

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December 2023

Geneva Reporter newest edition online for download

 

Every few months, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva publishes the Geneva Reporter newsletter. In this latest December 2023 edition we share updates on our programmes, links to our latest publications and offer a message of hope. 

Geneva Reporter is freely available for download at the link further down on this page. We would appreciate it if you share it with anyone who might be interested in our work at the United Nations. Enjoy reading! 

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December 2023

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2024 - Applications Now Open

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2023 participants at their visit to the United Nations in Geneva; group photo in front of the flags

We are excited to announce the return of the Quaker United Nations Office Geneva’s Summer School (QUNSS)! Our 12-day residential programme takes place from 1-12 July 2024 at the heart of international governance in Geneva, Switzerland. Summer school brings together a diverse group of young individuals to learn about pressing international concerns, develop professional skills, and build a like-minded community.

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November 2023

Connecting Geneva and New York for human rights approaches to conflict prevention

Florence Foster moderating a panel discussion during Geneva Peace Week meets New York

“In the current multidimensional crisis, the social contract between governments and their people and between groups in society is eroding. The transformational potential of human rights in their entirety – economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights – are part of a just and sustainable solution to such problems.”      

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October 2023

Sustaining peace needs intersectional approach at United Nations

Florence Foster from QUNO Geneva participates at Geneva Peace Week 2023 panel

Peacebuilding has been viewed mainly as post-conflict intervention at the United Nations (UN), but the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) believes peace work is needed throughout the conflict cycle.

QUNO takes a human rights-based approach to achieve sustaining peace. Focusing on human rights towards peacebuilding can further reduce the risk of violent conflict, end hostilities through inclusive processes and move towards reconciliation and just recovery. 

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September 2023

Arms industry tactics avoid human rights responsibility

The irresponsible role of the arms industry needs to be addressed as part of preventing violence and human rights violations committed with firearms globally.

This was part of the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) Peace & Disarmament programme’s recent response (also see attachment below) to an analysis of the arms industry by the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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August 2023

Geneva Reporter newest edition online for download

Every few months, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva publishes the Geneva Reporter newsletter. In this latest September 2023 edition we share stories about how our staff found their path to Quaker House in Geneva, report on our annual Quaker United Nations Summer School held recently, and have a Q&A with one of our programme assistants who is wrapping up a year of working with our Human Rights & Refugees programme.

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April 2023

Ireland Yearly Meeting 2023 – QUNO Geneva speaks on ‘Preparing for Peace: How can we prepare for peace?’

Florence Foster, Representative for Peace & Disarmament at QUNO Geneva, had the pleasure of joining Irish Friends in Tallaght for Ireland Yearly Meeting 2023 on ‘Building Community Together’, and was invited to speak on ‘Preparing for Peace: How can we prepare for peace?’ alongside Iain Atack.

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April 2023

QUNO Geneva leads on human rights and conventional arms discussion for the Geneva Consultations on the New Agenda for Peace

QUNO Geneva, as a founding member of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP), supported  consultations with relevant stakeholders in Geneva on the New Agenda for Peace Process (NA4P), which was organized in partnership with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs on March 16th and 17th.

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March 2023

QUNO Review 2023

2023 is an opportunity for us to celebrate 75 years of Quaker peace and justice work at the UN. Read our newest QUNO Review to learn more about the work of our New York and Geneva offices during this past year, and to learn about the work ahead.

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March 2023

QUNO: 75 Years of a Trusted Presence at the United Nations

This year, 2023, marks 75 years since the Quakers United Nations Office (QUNO) was founded in 1948. QUNO represents Quakers at the United Nations (UN) and related multilateral institutions, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

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January 2023

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2023 - Applications Now Open

We are excited to announce the return of summer school! This year's program will be in person for the first time since 2019. Our 12-day residential programme takes place at the heart of international governance in Geneva, Switzerland.  Summer school together a diverse group of individuals to learn about pressing international concerns, develop professional skills, and build a like-minded community. Participants will be equipped with the skills to think constructively about the value of the multilateral system and international politics while enjoying opportunities to discover Geneva.

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January 2023

QUNO highlights the importance of the arms sector when discussing responsible business conduct

During the 11th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights | OHCHR, QUNO Geneva partnered with American Bar Association Center for Human Rights, the University of Washington School of Law, PAX and Amnesty International to co-organize a virtual side event titled “Responsible Business Conduct - the case of the arms sector”

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