Monument presented by Azerbaijan unveiled at UN Geneva Office

A ceremony to unveil a monument "Thoughts and Desires" donated by the Azerbaijani government on the 25th anniversary of its accession to the United Nations has been held in the Ariana park in front of the Palace of Nations at the UN Office at Geneva.

AZERTAG informs that the Palace of Nations, built in 1929-1938, is one of the world's largest public buildings and its 46-hectared Ariana park is one of the largest parks in Geneva. More than 2000 art, painting and sculpture works are exhibited at the Palace of Nations and the Ariana Park. This wealthy collection covers topics such as peace, equality, development, progress, freedom, human rights and the environment, which are main UN values.

The event participants included Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva Michael Moller, Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev, permanent representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office and other international organizations at Geneva, Ambassador Vagif Sadigov, heads of a number of international organizations based in Geneva, as well as senior officials and employees of the UN Geneva Office.

Addressing the ceremony, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva Michael Moller thanked the Azerbaijani government for presenting interesting sculpture that enriched the collection of monuments in the Ariana park. M. Moller expressed his gratitude to the authors of monument, stressing that the monument symbolizing human desire of peace, security, human rights and development, coincides with the main goals and values of the UN. He noted that Azerbaijan, as one of the most active members of the United Nations, contributes to the activities of the organization and the fact that Azerbaijan plans to organize an event on intercultural dialogue in the framework of the Geneva Week is an obvious example of the country's highest respect for the UN values.

During his statement, Deputy PM Ali Hasanov noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev instructed the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to make a monument on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Azerbaijan's accession to the UN.

By conducting negotiations since last June, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office at Geneva has reached an agreement to erect the monument donated by Azerbaijan in Geneva, the second largest UN office. He thanked Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva Michael Moller for welcoming Azerbaijan's request to erect the monument.

Deputy PM Ali Hasanov noted that this monument, which reflects values of UN such as peace, development and human rights, also embodies the contribution of the Azerbaijani people to humanity throughout the centuries.

Today we live in a hard time and there is a great need to protect the UN values in such difficult period. The Azerbaijani government has been benefitting the UN values for 25 years and will continue to do so.

The event participants then unveiled the monument.

According to the task given by the President of Azerbaijan a year ago, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has entrusted the task of preparing the monument to People`s Artists of Azerbaijan Salhab Mammadov and Ali Ibadullayev.  Monument is not only a high-level example of Azerbaijan sculpture school, but also a real work of art that contains human values.

After unveiling of the monument, guests were given a banquet.

A photo-exhibition dedicated to Azerbaijan was demonstrated at the reception hall.