In the immediate vicinity of the Geneva Lake, at five minutes’ walk from the UN Headquarters and on one of Geneva’s main streets, lies Croatia’s “new home”, i.e. the premises of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations. The project of demolishing the previous house and constructing a new building on 11 Route de Ferney had been taking place during the last two years, in cooperation with Swiss partners associated in the CPAT consortium.
Apart from the premises of the Mission and the permanent representative’s residence, the building also includes apartments for some of the personnel.
The building was officially opened 21 June 2017 at a ceremony for diplomats and the Croatian community in Geneva on the occasion of the Statehood Day and 25th anniversary of Croatia’s membership in the UN. The ceremony was attended on behalf of the Croatian foreign minister by State Secretary for Political Affairs Zdravka Bušić, who thanked all the international partners who had supported Croatia during the beginnings of its independence, adding she believed Croatia would remain a reliable partner. UN Geneva Office Director-General Michael Moller applauded Croatia’s progress during the past 25 years, from an international aid recipient in the early 90s to active contribution to forming international norms and standards through its membership in various UN bodies. In her address, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Vesna Batistić Kos said Croatia got its full-fledged place at the UN table in the 90s and began actively contributing to the international community’s activities as well as to the development of modern democracy in Croatia itself. She underlined that through the membership in the UN Human Rights Council, Croatia greatly contributed to creating a platform and global partnership for improving the status of human rights in the world, concluding that now Croatia got its new home in Geneva.
Later in the ceremony, Bušić and Moller unveiled the Permanent Mission plaque. Also in attendance were Assistant Minister for International Law Toma Galli, representatives of CPAT and some 200 guests – representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Mission’s collaborators from various institutions, representatives of the Croatian community in Geneva et al.