The newly digitised collection encompasses the archives of the first Executive Secretaries of the ECE, spanning the period 1947 to 1982. These materials consist primarily of dossiers compiled by the Special Assistants to the Executive Secretaries, offering a unique and detailed perspective on the functioning of the organisation and its institutional evolution during the early decades of the UN’s presence in Europe.

In total, nearly 1,400 dossiers have been digitised. This extensive body of work sheds light on the development of the ECE’s mandate, its policy debates, and the intellectual contributions of its leadership, including, but not limited to, Gunnar Myrdal.

As the first director of the UNECE from 1947 to 1957, Gunnar Myrdal played a central role in shaping global debates on development, inequality, and international cooperation. His contributions within and beyond the United Nations and the Geneva Graduate Institute (where he was a professor and then a board member) continue to inform contemporary discussions on economic justice and multilateral governance. 

The digitised collection is now available online. We invite all interested readers to explore these archives and rediscover the foundations of the ECE’s work during a formative period in the history of international cooperation.