Portail des Nations project to be built at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. (Portail des Nations) Portail des Nations project to be built at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. (Portail des Nations)

ℹ️UN in Geneva’s future visitor centre hopes to improve dialogue with public. An immersive and innovative welcome centre conceived several years ago by banker and philanthropist Ivan Pictet is set to be opened in early summer 2025. With multilateralism in crisis, the project, now under construction, is seen as a means of highlighting its importance in solving global issues.

⚖️Honduras referred to UN human rights committee over total abortion ban. Campaigners have filed a petition with the UN human rights committee over the country’s total abortion ban, which they argue violates women’s fundamental rights and the country’s international commitments.

🫰🏻Switzerland delays UNRWA funding decision. The government plans to issue CHF 56.2 million in loans for humanitarian aid projects in the Middle East as it delays a decision on whether to unfreeze its contribution to the UN Palestinian relief organisation.

🗳️ Maduro announces return of UN rights office to Venezuela. The Venezuelan president said the UN human rights office will open again after his government asked staff to leave the country earlier this year. The announcement also comes a week after the United States reimposed sanctions after Caracas intensified its crackdown on opponents ahead of elections in July.

🕊️Keeping sight of peace. Mehra Rimer is the co-founder of B8 of Hope, a Geneva-based association that supports dozens of local Israeli and Palestinian organisations promoting lasting peace. Despite the horror of recent months, she remains focused on her target: working to build a future, however improbable it may be.