Les liaisons fructueuses - RUIG-GIAN

II – Les origines du RUIG : un projet politique et universitaire
pact of the United Nations’ action. Indeed, policies
must be underpinned by comprehensive and
cutting-edge research. Through a wide network of
research institutes, policy planning units and similar
bodies, the United Nations itself generates a
large volume of high-quality analysis and research
related to the challenges before the Organisation.
It also works closely with independent researchers
and experts in a wide range of areas, which enables
it to draw on and be informed by the latest
thinking and research results. Important efforts
such as the report “In Larger Freedom : Towards
Development, Security and Human Rights for
All”, which provided the foundation for Member
States’ negotiations prior to the 2005 World
Summit, have thus incorporated and built on
analysis and recommendations put forward by internationally
renowned scholars.
Within this context, the United Nations Office at
Geneva (UNOG) has strived over the last decade
to draw on the expertise of governments, civil society,
including non-governmental organisations,
regional and other inter-governmental organisations,
as well as research and academic communities.
As part of these partnership-building efforts,
the Office has endeavoured, in particular, to act
as an interface between the world of research and
policy entities within the United Nations system.
Through collaborative initiatives that promote
regular interaction between policymakers and
researchers and expand networks, UNOG seeks
to stimulate and strengthen inclusive, forwardlooking
discussions that cut across thematic and
institutional boundaries. These include joint
seminars and other events, which allow for open
exchanges of experiences and views between policymakers
and external experts, with a focus on
lessons learned and formulation of proposals for
application in the work of the United Nations.
The establishment of GIAN offered a particularly
welcome opportunity for UNOG to go one
step further and deepen its engagement with
academic and research institutions in Geneva.
The city, and Switzerland as a whole, is home to
a wide range of research and academic institutions
with particular analytical expertise in areas
of relevance to the work of the United Nations.
While the term “International Geneva” refers to
the large presence of international organisations
and their staff in Geneva, “Intellectual Geneva”
captures the academic and research capabilities
in Geneva. GIAN is an example of what can be
achieved when these two communities engage
and collaborate in support of common goals.
Over the years, GIAN has promoted resultsoriented
and practical research to be applied in
the work of international relations professionals.
The five priority themes on which GIAN
selected to focus its activities from the very
start, namely sustainable development, social
equity, globalisation and international commerce,
intercultural relations and dialogue and
humanitarian law and human rights, have since
acquired increasing relevance for the United Nations.
As an observer member on the Board of
GIAN, UNOG was therefore fully engaged in
this unique effort to provide a dynamic platform
for linking research and policy and foster collaboration
between academic institutions and
international organisations – both governmental
and non-governmental – in the service of peace,
justice and development.
The diversity of the projects that it has supported
is not only testimony to the multitude of
entities that compose international Geneva but
also to the breadth of issues which the mandate
and objectives of the United Nations encompass.
Perhaps more importantly, GIAN has once
again demonstrated the importance of engaging
all stakeholders to find common solutions to
our shared threats and challenges. UNOG very
much hopes that this spirit and the experience
gained in many years of collaboration within a
strong community of knowledge will infuse the
new Swiss Network for International Studies in
Geneva, which is to succeed GIAN.
28