Geneva Forum Verein
A Swiss not-for-profit association under Articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code
— the legal carrier of the Geneva Forum.
Legal form and purpose
The Geneva Forum Verein is a non-profit association established under Swiss law (Articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code, ZGB). Its statutory purpose is to safeguard multilateral justice through the organisation of the annual Geneva Forum, the publication of the Geneva Statement, and complementary educational and awareness-raising activities in line with General Assembly resolution A/RES/73/127.
The Association does not pursue commercial objectives, does not distribute profits, and operates on the basis of membership contributions, institutional partnerships, and project-based funding subject to due diligence.
Why 24 April
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.
Why Geneva
Geneva is the operational seat of the multilateral system. The Palais des Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Human Rights Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the institutions that draft, interpret, and monitor international humanitarian law are all within a few hundred metres of one another. The Forum exists where these institutions live.
01
Theme selection
The Association's programme committee identifies one compliance or institutional question of immediate international significance. The theme must be legally substantive, anchored in live cases or live norms, and suitable for multi-stakeholder examination.
02
Speaker convening
Speakers are invited on the basis of expertise, not representation. Academic jurists, practitioners, state representatives, and civil society experts are balanced to ensure that the examination is legal first and political only where law and politics are inseparable.
03
The Forum
Two sessions, structured presentations, open roundtables, and a closing announcement of the Geneva Statement. Hybrid format: in-person at the Palais des Nations and a moderated live broadcast.
04
The Geneva Statement
The Statement is finalised in the days following the Forum, opened for signature, and circulated to Permanent Missions, partner institutions, and the media. Selected outputs feed into the following year's theme.
What the Forum is not
The Geneva Forum is not a protest platform, not a litigation venue, and not a training programme. It is not affiliated with, nor speaks on behalf of, any single state, party, or advocacy coalition. Participants appear in their personal or institutional capacity; their contributions reflect their own views, not those of the Association or its partners.
Address
dbco., c/o Regus Business Centers AG
Leutschenbachstrasse 95
8050 Zurich
Permanent Missions, UN agencies, academic institutions, and NGOs interested in co-hosting or sponsoring an edition:
partners@genevaforum.org
Press enquiries, interview requests, and embargo coordination: press@genevaforum.org