Geneva is the second most populous city in Switzerland, after Zurich, and boats a truly cosmopolitan and diverse base for some 200 international organisations such as the UN and Red Cross. The city has had a strong humanitarian role for major international negotiations, such as the Geneva Convention, which is why it is often described as the city of peace. The city sits next to Lake Geneva which hosts a vast array of international water activities and is just 45 minutes from some of the best skiing in the Alps.