India has donated five Indian peacocks, including a rare white-feathered male, to the United Nations Office at Geneva, reviving a decades-old tradition that dates back to the era of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The five young peafowl were formally handed over to UN Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya by India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, during a special ceremony on Friday.
The gesture highlights India’s rich natural heritage while also reflecting its longstanding commitment to biodiversity conservation, environmental stewardship and multilateral cooperation.
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The donated birds comprise four blue peafowl and one white-feathered male. Their colours were also seen as particularly fitting for their new home, reflecting the blue and white colours associated with the United Nations.
This is the second time India has presented peacocks to UN Geneva. The first donation took place in 1981, when then prime minister Indira Gandhi sent a breeding pair from the Delhi Zoo.
The Indian mission described the peacock as a symbol of grace, beauty and resilience, saying the bird represents India’s enduring commitment to protecting biodiversity and promoting environmental responsibility.
UN Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya expressed her appreciation to the Indian government for the gesture, according to a statement issued by the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva.
The birds will be cared for by Geneva Bioparc zoo, working alongside UN staff. Tobias Blaha, the zoo’s director, described the grounds as an ideal environment for the peacocks, saying: “It’s really a dream habitat for them.”
The five birds will initially spend around three months in an enclosed habitat while they adapt to their new surroundings. After that period, they are expected to be allowed to roam freely through Ariana Park, the 46-hectare green space surrounding the UN’s European headquarters.
Ariana Park is one of Geneva’s largest and most prestigious parks. The City of Geneva originally made the grounds available to the League of Nations and later to the United Nations, with the arrangement continuing for as long as the UN exists.
Peacocks have been part of Ariana Park for more than a century, with the tradition predating both the League of Nations and the United Nations.
The history of the birds in the park can be traced back to Swiss archaeologist and art collector Gustave Revilliod, who bequeathed the estate to the City of Geneva in 1890. Many of the peacocks seen at the UN premises today are descendants of birds donated in 1997 by a zoo in Japan.
India’s latest contribution therefore adds to an established tradition while bringing a new chapter to the biodiversity of the UN premises.
The Indian mission said the donation reflects India’s natural heritage and cultural ethos, while also underscoring the country’s longstanding partnership with the United Nations.
Beyond its symbolism, the gesture reinforces India’s commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation and environmental conservation — with five colourful ambassadors now set to become part of the unique landscape of UN Geneva.
