Editing Fridtjof Nansen (section)

==== Armenian genocide ====
[[File:No-nb bldsa 6d141.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Nansen in front of an Armenian orphanage, 25 June 1925]]
From 1925 onwards, Nansen devoted much time trying to help Armenian refugees, victims of [[Armenian genocide]] at the hands of the [[Ottoman Empire]] during the First World War and further ill-treatment thereafter.<ref>[http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/armenian_genocide.htm "Armenian Genocide"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181947/http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/Genocide/armenian_genocide.htm |date=3 March 2016 }}, United Human Rights Council. Retrieved 18 August 2010.</ref> His goal was the establishment of a national home for these refugees, within the borders of [[Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet Armenia]]. His main assistant in this endeavour was [[Vidkun Quisling]], the future [[Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy|Nazi collaborator]] and head of a [[Quisling regime|Norwegian puppet government]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref name="Huntford659">Huntford, pp. 659–660.</ref>

After visiting the region, Nansen presented the Assembly with a modest plan for the irrigation of {{convert|360|km2}} on which 15,000&nbsp;refugees could be settled.<ref>Reynolds, p. 262.</ref> The plan ultimately failed, because even with Nansen's unremitting advocacy the money to finance the scheme was not forthcoming. Despite this failure, his reputation among the Armenian people remains high.<ref name="Ryne" />

Nansen wrote ''Armenia and the Near East'' (1923) wherein he describes the plight of the Armenians in the wake of losing its independence to the Soviet Union.<ref>{{cite news|last=Abalyan|first=Karine|title=Fridtjof Nansen and the Armenians|url=http://massispost.com/2011/10/fridtjof-nansen-and-the-armenians/ |newspaper=Massis Post|date=17 October 2011}}</ref> The book was translated into many languages. After his visit to Armenia, Nansen wrote two additional books: ''Across Armenia'' (1927) and ''Through the Caucasus to the Volga'' (1930).<ref>{{cite web|title=Fridtjof Nansen|url=http://armenianhouse.org/nansen/nansen-en.html|publisher=ArmeniaHouse}}</ref>

Within the League's Assembly, Nansen spoke out on many issues besides those related to refugees. He believed that the Assembly gave the smaller countries such as Norway a "unique opportunity for speaking in the councils of the world."<ref>Scott, p. 230.</ref> He believed that the extent of the League's success in reducing armaments would be the greatest test of its credibility.<ref>Reynolds, p. 247.</ref> He was a signatory to the [[1926 Slavery Convention|Slavery Convention]] of 25 September 1926, which sought to outlaw the use of forced labour.<ref>[http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/cxslavery.htm "Slavery Convention 1926"], The Anti-Slavery Society, 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2010.</ref> He supported a settlement of the [[World War I reparations|post-war reparations]] issue and championed Germany's membership of the League, which was granted in September 1926 after intensive preparatory work by Nansen.<ref name="Huntford659" />