Art donation “Thoughts and Desires” by the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency, Mr. Hasanov,
Your Excellency, Mr. Garayev,
Ambassador Sadiqov,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

A warm welcome as we meet today around the sculpture “Thoughts and Desires”, the newest addition to our art collection here in the Ariana Park. We sincerely thank the people and government of Azerbaijan for this contribution to our art collection.

This work of art was made by two Azerbaijani artists - Professor Ali Ibadullayev and Professor Salhab Mammadov. It symbolizes the desires of humankind for peace and security, human rights and development. These noble goals – the very raison d’être of the United Nations have been firmly enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our shared roadmap for humanity. The “desires” of our global community have found their expression in 17 the Sustainable Development Goals.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Art is a mirror of the preoccupations of people. Citizens around the world are concerned, more than ever, by the state of our world by protracted conflicts, flagrant human rights violations and by the reversal of development progress of the past. This work of art will be a daily reminder of our joint responsibility to move ahead in promoting the UN values and in implementing the 2030 Agenda, here in International Geneva and beyond.

On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank Azerbaijan for its support for and commitment to the promotion of the values enshrined in the UN Charter and to the implementation of our ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since its independence, Azerbaijan has taken its role within the UN very seriously. Let me mention in this context that during the upcoming Geneva Peace Week, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan will host an event on “Preventing conflicts through intercultural dialogue”. Thanks to the engagement of Ambassador Sadiqov, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan has been an active contributor to the cultural diplomacy programme. In 2007, Azerbaijan renovated room XV, one of our conference rooms, giving it a permanent visibility within the Palais des Nations. I am glad that Azerbaijan is now also represented outside the Palais, thanks to this new landmark in Ariana Park.

Thank you again for being here with us today, for organizing today’s event and also for inviting us for a reception after our ceremony.

Thank you!