Our Mission
Safeguarding multilateral justice, on the record, in Geneva.
Mission statement
The Geneva Forum: Safeguarding Multilateral Justice exists to defend the universality of international law. We convene a working forum in Geneva on 24 April to examine concrete threats to the multilateral legal order — the independence of international courts, compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law, and the obligations that bind all states equally — and to issue a shared statement that holds the line.
Principles
On 12 December 2018, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 24 April as the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace (A/RES/73/127).
The resolution calls, in its operative paragraphs, for educational and public awareness-raising activities to strengthen the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
The Geneva Forum is one such activity — convened in Geneva, on the exact date the General Assembly chose, to give that commitment a working venue.
01. Universality, not selectivity
International law binds all states equally. We examine compliance and non-compliance without geographic or political preference. Where double standards exist in how norms are applied, we name them — and we hold ourselves to the same standard.
02. Law first, politics only where inseparable
Every session is anchored in positive international law: treaty text, customary norms, authoritative judicial determinations, and recognised commentary. Political context is acknowledged where law cannot be read without it; it does not replace legal analysis.
03. Independence from states and parties
The Forum accepts no funding, endorsement, or editorial input that would compromise its independence. Partnerships are disclosed. Speaker invitations reflect expertise, not sponsorship.
04. On the record
The Forum works in the open. Programmes are published in advance. Sessions are livestreamed where feasible. The Geneva Statement is dated, cited, and archived. The Forum does not operate through off-record pressure.
05. Multi-stakeholder, not multi-voice
The Forum convenes states, scholars, practitioners, and civil society in one room — but it does not treat all contributions as equivalent. Legal expertise, institutional responsibility, and evidence are weighted. The roundtable is inclusive; the Statement is edited.
Methodology
The Forum is based on three elements:
(1) the most pressing issue in international law, as determined by the programme committee;
(2) two working sessions structured to generate both theoretical and practical analyses;
(3) a draft of the Geneva Statement, which is reviewed by the participating experts prior to publication and released in the following weeks.
Editorial boundaries
The Geneva Forum cannot cover every crisis, every court, or every case. Each issue focuses on a topic defined by the most pressing crisis of the moment, one that has a sufficient documentary and legal foundation. In addition, all other flashpoints are addressed to highlight the global consequences of a lack of cooperation for peace. Topics not selected in a given year do not lose priority — they are set aside for a future issue or for our publication series.
Note
The Geneva Forum has no commercial interests. There are no participation fees; all organisational expenses are covered by the participating partner organisations and through in-kind contributions. An association is currently being established as the Forum's permanent host. Until its constitution, Digital Business Consulting Osseili (dbco.) acts as the interim publisher solely to fulfil formal disclosure obligations under Swiss law.
Contact: info (at) genevaforum (dot) org
Press: press (at) genevaforum (dot) org