New Delhi: India has gifted five Indian peacocks, including a rare white-feathered male, to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), bringing back a tradition that has been part of the UN premises for decades.
At a ceremony, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, formally handed over the birds to UNOG Director-General Tatiana Valovaya.
The group includes four blue peafowl and one white-feathered male. Their colours echo the blue and white associated with the United Nations while showcasing India’s national bird and natural heritage.
This is the second time India has gifted peacocks to UNOG. In 1981, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi presented a breeding pair from the Delhi Zoo.
🦚🇮🇳 A vibrant symbol of India’s commitment to multilateralism! 🦚🇮🇳
Adding to @UNGeneva‘s biodiversity, PR @abagchimea, on behalf of 🇮🇳, presented five Indian Peacocks 🦚 (Pavo cristatus), the National Bird of India, in UN colours to DG @UN_Valovaya.
The symbolic gift… pic.twitter.com/B7GG100kGp
— India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) August 7, 2026
“The Indian Peacock, a symbol of grace, beauty and resilience,” reflects India’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection, the Indian mission said.
Valovaya thanked the Indian government for the gesture. The birds will be cared for by Geneva Bioparc Zoo in coordination with UN staff.
“It’s really a dream habitat for them,” said Tobias Blaha, director of Geneva Bioparc.
The UN Geneva office also welcomed the new arrivals in a post on X, describing them as the “newest members of the flock” and a tribute to India’s national bird.
The peacocks will initially stay in an enclosed area for about three months. Once they settle into their new surroundings, they will be allowed to roam freely through Ariana Park, where the UN’s European headquarters is located.
Today, @IndiaUNGeneva gifted 5 peacocks 🦚 to @ungeneva: a nod to India’s national bird and to a tradition going back to the 19th century.
Grateful to India for the newest members of the flock!
Follow us on Instagram for regular 🦚🦚🦚🦚🦚 updates: https://t.co/PW8l3OAXvw pic.twitter.com/Uy7IypVXqj
— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) August 7, 2026
The 46-hectare park has housed peacocks for more than a century. Its connection with the birds goes back to Swiss archaeologist and art collector Gustave Revilliod, who left the estate to the City of Geneva in 1890. The land was later made available to the League of Nations and, subsequently, the United Nations.
Many of the peacocks currently seen in the park were donated by a Japanese zoo in 1997. India’s latest gift adds to the park’s flock while highlighting the country’s long-standing ties with the United Nations.
The Indian mission said the gesture also reflects India’s commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation and the protection of biodiversity.
