Donation of Gift from Greece

Ambassador Alexandris
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is an honour to accept the gift of a Cycladic idol for the United Nations Office at Geneva. I would like to express my warmest appreciation to Ambassador Alexandris, as well as the Permanent Mission of Greece for this most generous donation. The Cycladic idol is both a symbol of ancient Greece and of our common humanity. It is truly a wonderful addition to the Palais des Nations.

It is fitting that this gift will be displayed in the home of the Human Rights Council. Here in Geneva, the UN - together with many partners - works to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including and especially those of women.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Greece for its active involvement in the human rights efforts of the United Nations, particularly in the Human Rights Council. I am confident that important work will be undertaken during this 25th session.

This gift carries with it an important message: that women’s rights must always be promoted and protected. As we see from this more than 5,000 year-old sculpture, this message is timeless. Today, empowering women is a main UN priority and one that will be celebrated this weekend, on International Women’s Day.

I would like to again express my appreciation to Greece for this donation. The Cycladic idol will serve as a standing reminder of the importance of promoting women’s rights, as well as the contributions of Greece to advancing rights for all.

Thank you very much.