The United Nations (U.N) was created in 1945 designed to correct the faults of the League of Nations that so terribly failed to maintain international peace and security. From humble origins, new voices are questioning the organization’s role in providing security to the world for the last 70 years.
It cannot be denied that the organization has failed in numerous way to prevent disasters that continue to plague the planet. But is it useless? The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland hosted a public lecture recently to look at the history of the U.N drawing special attention on the topic of “Multilateralism and Its Discontents: The UN’s Relevance Today and the Future of Cooperation”
Speakers at this event included the impressive Deputy CEO of the United Nations Foundation, Ambassador Elizabeth Cousens, and discussion was moderated by, Nico Krisch, Professor of International Law and Co-Director of the Global Governance Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.
The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies describes itself as a “research institution dedicated to study world’s affair with particular interest on issues covering intercontinental relations and development issues”. Here is a good description written up for the event invite:
It is no secret that the international system we have relied on for peace and progress for over 70 years is under strain and even under threat. Alliances are fraying, institutions are under delivering, and the founding coalition of the UN has changed in ways that raise questions about the basis of cooperation in the future.
What does the UN signify today, and how can it remain relevant? Has the UN’s failure to address genocide in Rwanda, ethnic conflict in Bosnia, and civil war in Syria, to name just three conflicts, eroded its credibility? How do citizens around the world perceive the UN, and do they view the UN as able to deal with the steep challenges the world faces now? How has resurgent nationalism affected the image and power of the UN? What are the prospects for revitalizing multilateralism at this moment of change?
The discussion lasted for about an hour and 20 minutes. Take a look:
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