India Gifts Five Peacocks to UN Geneva

India gifted five young peacocks to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, on 7 August 2026. The handover took place during a ribbon-cutting ceremony between Arindam Bagchi, India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, and Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of UN Geneva.

Indian Peafowl and Species Details

The flock includes four blue Indian peafowl and one rare white male peacock. The Indian peafowl is scientifically classified as Pavo cristatus and is the national bird of India. The white plumage in peafowl is a colour variant of the same species and is kept in captivity in some zoological collections.

UN Geneva Grounds and Aviary Arrangement

The peacocks will stay in a temporary aviary in Ariana Park for three months before moving freely across the 46-hectare UN Geneva grounds. Ariana Park is part of the diplomatic landscape around the Palais des Nations in Geneva, where birds have long been kept on the premises.

Tradition of Peafowl at UN Geneva

The gesture revived a tradition that began in 1981, when Indira Gandhi sent a breeding pair of peafowl from the Delhi Zoo to UN Geneva. The practice links India’s national bird with the UN office in Geneva, which has maintained peafowl on its grounds for decades.

Important Facts for Exams

• The United Nations Office at Geneva is one of the four main UN office locations, along with New York, Vienna and Nairobi.
• The Indian peafowl, Pavo cristatus, is protected under Indian wildlife law and is widely associated with Indian culture.
• Geneva Bioparc handled the transport and medical care of the birds using a specially modified veterinary ambulance.
• A public naming competition for the five peacocks is planned by UN Geneva officials.

UN Geneva and Diplomatic Symbolism

The UN Geneva campus covers 46 hectares and includes the Palais des Nations. The peacocks are expected to remain part of the grounds’ living collection after their release from the aviary.