The Paradox That is Geneva

Nestled in a clearing surrounded by three mountain ranges, Genève or Geneva as it is known internationally, is an unusual dwelling place unlike any other. The topography of Geneva is breath-taking undoubtedly but what makes it astonishing is not just its natural beauty but the qualities of its people and the several paradoxes that this civilization accommodates.

Geneva is not just a ville or a town. It is one of Switzerland’s 26 cantons tucked away in its South-West corner. But there is also Grand Genève or Greater Geneva which cuts across an adjacent Swiss Canton as well as territories that constitutes modern day France which together form a group for transnational cooperation (GLCT in French).

If you stay long in Geneva for, say a fortnight or more, its paradoxes start unfurling and becoming apparent. Let’s look at some of these.

Universal, yet Very Swiss

Geneva canton’s association with the universe has been very long. The League of Nations, predecessor to the United Nations, was set up in 1920 at Geneva to promote international peace, cooperation and security.  

To give you an idea of how progressive Genevans have been in their overture to the rest of the world, on a visit to Geneva in 2023, I came across an exhibition commemorating the centenary of the alliance between the Geneva city, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, representing six American Indian indigenous nations and the Indigenous Centre for Documentation, Research and Information (Docip), a Swiss non-profit which defends Indigenous Peoples rights internationally. In 1923 the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s spokesperson, Deskaheh petitioned the League of Nations seeking support for an Indigenous sovereignty movement against ongoing structural inequities globally.

After the United Nations formation in 1945, its headquarters moved to New York. Even then, Geneva continued to host a significant UN presence and currently serves as headquarters for a plethora of UN bodies that include the International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, World Meteorological Organization, World Trade Organization, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Whist Geneva is home to over 175 nationalities, about 60% of the canton’s population is ethnic Swiss-French. If we consider Grand Geneva overall then the percentage is much higher. This makes Geneva a rich multi-cultural abode, yet very Swiss.

Nothing can be more Swiss about Geneva than watch making, chocolates and private banking. The first corporation for watchmaking was set up in Geneva in 1601 and in 1886 the Canton of Geneva unleashed the apex standard for watchmaking, the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal) an emblem that guarantees the origin, quality and reliability of craftsmanship.

Private Banking, Non-profits and Protests

Wealth management is Geneva’s most famous hallmark. Although private banking tracks its roots to the beginning of the 19^th century and is shrouded in tradition, Genevan private banks have been quick to adopt technological innovations.

While Geneva is, in one sense of the word, a product of unbridled capitalism it also hosts over 500 non-governmental organisations — a disproportionate number — and is a centre of peaceful, organised protest. Note, this support comes from not the Government of Switzerland but the governing authority of the Canton of Geneva whose commitment for universal causes is second to none.

Genevans believe the right to peaceful protest is foundational as it serves as a springboard for other rights and freedoms. Protests outside the Palais des Nations, have been diverse and include support for political struggles in Gaza, Palestine, Syria and Libya, Hong Kong; anti-WTO protests or those against landmines or those in favour of disarmament and the rights of migrants et al.

Conspicuous Consumption and Community

A ten minute drive from the fountain at Lake Geneva gets you to the plush residential precinct of Cologny which houses the mansions of the super-wealthy. Geneva is known for its affluence and its flashes of display.

In Geneva one gets to witness a few isolated cases of homeless people seeking alms and petty crime exists but overall, this is a safe sanctuary. What is fascinating if not incongruous is the sense of community that prevails despite wealth disparities.

In my visits to Geneva across all seasons, the spirit of community has stood out. In summers you will find a heap of outdoor activities open to the public that include makeshift dance floors enabling one to shake a leg. On winter solstice day, I was surprised to encounter a swimming race organised by the city council where Genevans chose to swim in near ice-cold water.

Chocolates, Cigarettes and Cancer

Geneva goes beyond watchmaking and private banking. It even provides capital-status to chocolate making. Greater Geneva saw the first chocolate factory come up towards the end of the 1700s although today it is better known for its artisanal chocolates.

What’s surprising is that despite Genevans’ fondness for sugar and addiction to smoking — one in four Genevans above age 15 smoke — obesity is hard to spot. To contrast, one in eight people in the US smoke and two in five people suffer from obesity. Deaths due to cancer range between 25% to 30% in Geneva This despite the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) being headquartered in Geneva. Surely Genevans can set a better example for the rest of the world.

Science and Spirituality

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN in French) is located in a Geneva suburb but spread-out subterranean. Its main objective is to unlock the mysteries of the universe; its origin and how it works. Like everything else in Geneva, this is the product of international collaboration and employs over 12200 scientists from 70 countries.

If Geneva hosts the prophets of science and if CERN is its pre-eminent shrine, it doesn’t lack in spiritual seeking. If Peace be recognised as a denomination, then Genevans would have a very high religious quotient. Christianity is the dominant religion comprising roughly half Protestants and half Catholics. Because of its diversity, the dwelling is pluralistic and houses varied places of worship.

Come rain or shine, autumn, winter, spring or summer, Geneva has much to offer. But what makes it staggeringly interesting is not the range of it has to put forward but rather its contrasts. Without its paradox elements, Geneva would not be Geneva.

Shakti Saran is a systems thinker, writer, consultant, and the Founder of Shaktify, an initiative to power changemakers

Feature image: Geneva city and canton as viewed from Mt. Saleve