After 45 years, India once again sends peacocks to UN in Geneva

In 1951, a Swiss newspaper questioned whether Pierre the solitary peacock would be replaced, hinting at the UN's last surviving peacock. The tradition of sending peacocks to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva resumed in 1981 when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gifted a breeding pair of Indian peafowl from Delhi Zoo as a symbol of India's commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation.

After a 45-year hiatus, India once again sent five peacocks to the UN this week. These were all male birds, with four being blue and one white, representing the UN's iconic colors. Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, India's permanent representative to the UN, formally presented the peacocks to Tatiana Valovaya, the director-general of UN Geneva.

The UNOG, which used to be a private estate, welcomes the peacocks for a three-month stay before they can roam freely in Ariana Park. The birds will be monitored by Dr Tobias Blaha, a veterinarian and director of Bioparc Genève. This marks the second time India has donated peacocks to the UN, underscoring the country's dedication to environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation.