The Geneva Centre is composed of a plurinational staff from France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
Umesh Palwankar, a national of Switzerland, joined the Geneva Centre in December 2018 as Researcher-Planner. His responsibilities included thematic research, participation in the planning of the activities of the Centre, namely conferences, projects, publications, training programmes and in the impact evaluation of these. In March 2020 he was appointed Executive Director of the Geneva Centre.
A national of the United Arab Emirates, Ms Alia Fares joined the Geneva Centre in September 2020 as a Training Specialist.
She designs training programs and activities for students and professionals in the field of human rights. The core purpose of these training programs is to provide such stakeholders with increased expertise, thereby promoting national capacity building.
She designs training programs and activities for students and professionals in the field of human rights. The core purpose of these training programs is to provide such stakeholders with increased expertise, thereby promoting national capacity building.
A national of Italy, Catia joined the Geneva Centre in March 2023, as Project and Information Officer. In this capacity, she assists with the organization, coordination and implementation of the Centre’s activities. She conducts research related to programs, prepares publications and follows and reports on the sessions of the Human Rights Council.
A national of Italy, Martina joined the Geneva Centre in September 2024 as Project and Information Officer. In this role, she supports the planning, coordination, and execution of the Centre’s activities. She is responsible for preparing publications, conducting research related to programs, and developing networks for various collaborations with third parties.