Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Russia, Georgia and the two Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, all involved in fighting in the area in recent months, Wednesday sat in the same room in Geneva and talked about possible solutions to end the disputes - a major change from the first effort at talks in October 2008, when arguments over who should be allowed to sit at the table ended the meeting before Russia and Georgia were even in the same room together.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday called for $7 billion dollars in aid to help 30 million people in more than 31 countries, as part of the Humanitarian Appeal 2009, making this the largest such appeal to private and public donors since 360 aid agencies, including UN organizations, began to coordinate their efforts in 1991in an annual, consolidated appeal.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Juan Somavia, director general of the International Labour Organization (ILO) was re-elected for a third term with 43 votes in his favour and 13 abstentions, in a secret ballot.
There were no other candidates.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Climate change and the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals (MDG), were the topics of conversation during the first visit of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the World Intellectual Property (Wipo) headquarters in Geneva.
Cern coctrol room as LHC first beam goes round, 10 September 2008
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Music by Philip Glass to images by National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting in an audiovisual concert called “Origins,” a molecular gastronomy buffet by the man often considered its inventor, chef Ettore Bocchia, dignitaries from the 60 countries that have contributed to the development of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) and a party for staff: the French-Swiss border that is straddled by Cern will be a buzz of activity Tuesday 21 October, with the official inaugurations of the LHC.
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - “Currently, we can actually prove that by buying from Africa, buying from the developing world, you’re having less of an impact on the environment than by buying local,” Patricia Francis told the 10th World Export Development Forum Wednesday, Francis, executive director of the International Trade Centre in Geneva, argues that the plethora of terms used to talk about sustainability issues is confusing consumers. [video interview]
The Wild Horse (Equus ferus) previously was listed as Extinct in the Wild, but as a result of ongoing reintroduction efforts it is now showing signs of improvement and has moved down a category to Critically Endangered. Photo, IUCN; Patricia Moehlman
Barcelona, Spain (GenevaLunch) - Gland-based IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) is bringing together 8,000 “world’s leading decision-makers in sustainable development” at its World Conservation Congress, 5-15 October. The congress had a colourful opening session but quickly settled down to business as the group issued its latest red list for the world’s animals: one in four, or 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth now risk extinction.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Wipo (Wold Intellectual Property Orgnization) at its annual meeting in Geneva has agreed to 90% reduction in the registration fees for designers from the 16 nations that are members of the OAPI (African Intellectual Property Organization).
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Francis Gurry of Australia was elected the new director general of Wipo (World Intellectual Property Organization) by acclamation Tuesday, as the organization began its week-long annual meeting. In his first speech as head of the group he pointed to digital technologies as posing the greatest threat to IP rights today.
Geneva, Switzerland (Tribune de Geneve, Fre) - The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) looks set to cut up to 100 jobs by 2009, if the Tribune’s calculations of early retirement and Read more…
