Who can enter the Palais des Nations and how?

Thousands of people enter the Palais des Nations every day and their reasons for visiting may vary widely. UN staff and their families, official delegations, NGOs and journalist have, or can request, permanent access to the premises.

Most conferences and official meetings are only accessible for a limited group of attendants: NGOs, UN personnel, invited experts or first-hand witnesses may attend and give their input to the discussions which are usually held by representatives of the Member States. Journalists are allowed to attend public meetings. However, the majority of these meetings can be followed online. 

Public events are usually open for everyone, but advance registration is necessary. These events include cinema screenings, commemoration of special days, discussions, concerts, exhibitions and other cultural or artistic events. An overview of upcoming events can be found in our events section where you will find all registration details.

Visiting the Palais des Nations is only possible in the context of a guided tour. For security reasons, it is not possible to just walk around the premises as an external visitor. Guided tours can be booked online. For more information, have a look at our Visitors’ Service page. 

Students and researchers, professionals of the liberal arts and journalists can request access to the UN Geneva Library and Archives for work or research purposes. More information can be found on the dedicated registration page.