The Hague Protocols

The Hague is the juridical capital of the world. Home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the Permanent Court of Arbitration — among dozens of other international organizations and tribunals — the Dutch city has served for more than a century as the institutional center of international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes between nations. At the heart of that history stands the Peace Palace. Inaugurated in 1913 and funded by Andrew Carnegie, it was built on the conviction that architecture could embody the aspiration for a world governed by law rather than force. In 2013, the United Nations marked its centennial alongside the Dutch government and the international community. These photographs were made during three visits to The Hague as part of the United Nations Secretary-General's delegation, in 2013 and 2016. They document the ceremonial and institutional life of the city at the highest level of diplomatic protocol — the interiors

The Hague Protocols
©UN Photo/ Rick Bajornas
The Hague is the juridical capital of the world. Home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the Permanent Court of Arbitration — among dozens of other international organizations and tribunals — the Dutch city has served for more than a century as the institutional center of international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes between nations.

The images aim to reflect both the weight of these institutions and the human presence within them — the guards, the corridors, the ceremony, and the architecture through which international order is expressed and maintained. 
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