Palais des Nations

About

The Palais des Nations is the principal building of the United Nations Office at Geneva, situated at 8, Avenue de la Paix 14 in Geneva, Switzerland. Originally constructed for the League of Nations between 1929 and 1938, it now hosts the administrative offices of the UN Office at Geneva as well as a host of specialized agencies and funds, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Health Organization (WHO), and many others. The complex plays a central role in global diplomacy, providing a venue for bi‑weekly briefings of UN agencies, high‑level meetings, and various international conferences. In addition to its administrative functions, the Palais des Nations houses the UN Library & Archives Geneva, which preserves a rich collection of diplomatic documents and historical records. Visitors to the Palais des Nations can explore the historic architecture that reflects its unfurling from the League of Nations era to the present, and gain insight into the day‑to‑day operations that underpin the UN’s global mandate for peace, security, and development.