Organised by ETH-Zürich in collaboration with the Centre for Digital Humanities and Multilateralism and United Nations Library & Archives, the event was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The Book of Abstracts is now available online.

Over two days in Zurich, five panels and eighteen presentations examined embassy buildings, chancelleries, and conference venues through their spaces, actors, and artefacts. Collectively, the papers confirmed the analytical value of “interiors” as an interdisciplinary lens for foregrounding not only the relationship between buildings and the diplomatic work taking place within them, but also the multitude of actors—often unevenly visible—who shape these spaces

On the third day in Geneva, the CDHM welcomed the participants at the Maison de la Paix. Pierre-Etienne Bourneuf, Head of Strategic Partnerships, presented the centre’s work to safeguard multilateral archives, and highlighted a project focusing on mapping international Geneva through time. The group then relocated to the United Nations Office at Geneva, with sessions focused on treating the Palais des Nations as a historical source, and debating the challenges of studying interiors through archival records. These discussions underscored the importance of collaboration across research, practice, and preservation.

The conference also initiated conversations about establishing an international network dedicated to the study of diplomatic interiors. Updates on this initiative will be shared via the conference website.