Geneva

Geneva is probably best known as one of the centers of international diplomacy, led by the United Nations Office (UN). But Geneva is not only an international city, it is also a city of culture, a city of parks and more discreetly recognized as being a city of finances.

Geneva is today home to some two hundred international organizations, governmental and non-governmental. It is a city of culture with its theater, its opera, its universities and its schools, not less than forty museums etc ...

Geneva has been an independent republic since the 16th century until it became a Swiss canton on December 31, 1815. One of the popular festive events is the Escalade. the latter commemorates a failed attempt by the Duke of Savoy, on the night of December 11 to 12, 1602, to invade the city by climbing its fortified walls. Having repelled the invasion at the cost of only sixteen lives, Geneva gained its freedom, and the Maison de Savoie was never strong enough to attempt a new invasion.

Geneva is nicknamed "Protestant Rome", welcoming from the 16th century a number of Protestant thinkers, theologians and philosophers, one of whose main figures, Jean Calvin, marked Geneva far beyond his theological teaching (we sometimes nicknamed Geneva " Calvingrad ").

After the turbulence of the Middle Ages, and while keeping its neutral attitude, Geneva acquired the prestigious status of City of Peace and Integration with the creation, in 1863, by Henry Dunant, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, whose ideal and role remain, alas, still as current. Since then, Geneva has continued to profile itself as the city of major international peace and humanitarian negotiations.