author
Henri La Fontaine
1854–1943
A Belgian lawyer, senator, and peace campaigner, he won the 1913 Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in the international peace movement. He is also remembered for ambitious efforts to organize the world's knowledge alongside Paul Otlet.
1 Audiobook
Création d'un répertoire bibliographique universel : Conférence Bibliographique Internationale, 1895, publication no. 1
by Henri La Fontaine, Paul Otlet
About the author
Born in Brussels in 1854, Henri La Fontaine studied law at the Free University of Brussels and built a career as an international lawyer, public figure, and advocate for reform. He served for many years in the Belgian Senate, where his interests included education, social issues, and foreign affairs.
La Fontaine became one of the best-known peace activists of his era through his work with the International Peace Bureau, which he led from 1907. In 1913 he received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his major role in promoting international cooperation and peaceful methods for resolving disputes.
He also had a lasting influence beyond politics and peace work. With Paul Otlet, he helped develop large-scale bibliographic projects that aimed to collect and organize knowledge from around the world, an effort later associated with the Mundaneum. He died in Brussels in 1943.