Why India's national bird, the peacock, finds pride of place at UN's Geneva HQ

During a recent visit to Geneva, I was pleasantly surprised to find our national bird proudly strutting and roaming around the hallowed premises of one of Europe’s most iconic buildings — the Palais de Nations. In fact, I never imagined spotting a peacock in this part of the world, I have only seen them in Rajasthan hanging out freely or in a few zoos overseas tagged as our national bird.

Before I tell you how the Geneva municipality is legally bound to take care of these peacocks or “special guests”, let me share some information about Palais de Nations, the former headquarters of the League of Nations and the current European headquarters of the United Nations.

I came to Geneva to attend the WFUNA executive committee meeting which is in the landmark United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), housed at the Palais de Nations Geneva. This humongous complex is located on the prestigious 46-hectare Ariana Park overlooking Lake Geneva. It was built from 1929 till 1938 for the League of Nations. Over the years, additional buildings were added to the complex.

In 1946 the League of Nations was dissolved at a final assembly held in Geneva in April 1946. All the assets and properties were handed over to the newly-formed United Nations Organisation. The Palais de Nations was one of the prized jewels.

The Palais de Nations is a symbolic representation of the famous “Spirit of Geneva”. Geneva can be called the first international city, and it all started in November 1920 when the citizens welcomed the delegates from around the world for the first international conference of the League of Nations.

The first time the plan for building this complex was floated, there were some 300 entries received from architects and firms from all over the world. After much deliberations, five were chosen. The huge complex that we see today was added later. The Palais premises has a park, chalets, villas, offices, cafeterias, gardens, halls, tomb, conference rooms and iconic statues and monuments.

Some of the famous monuments include The Celestial Sphere, The Conquest of Space, The Family, Armillary Sphere, The Great Centaur, The Tower of Loneliness, Cenotaph of Gustave Ravilliod, and many more. There is also the famous Human Rights and Alliance of Civilisations Room, from where much of the world’s decisions and policies pertaining to human rights are deliberated and executed.

Beneath the Palais de Nations’ foundation stone is a “time capsule” containing a document listing the names of the League of Nations member states, a copy of the covenant of the league, specimen coins of all the countries represented at the League of Nations at the time of its inception.

Each year over one lakh visitors tour the Palais de Nations and 60,000 delegates participate in various conferences. However, about a dozen or so special guests are the permanent members at the Palais de Nations since 1890 by decree. These are the colourful peacocks and peahens, numbering about a dozen or so. I was very surprised to find India’s national bird strutting freely in and around the premises in their splendid colours. Their occasional calls from time to time pierce through the stillness of the park.

How did these “special guests” arrive at the Palais de Nations?

I was curious and made some queries. And what I came to know was very interesting.

The presence of about a dozen peacocks at the UNOG is a legacy of art collector Gustave Revilliod de Rive, who bequeathed his park to the City of Geneva in 1890 based on three conditions — that he be buried at the park after his death, that the peacocks should be allowed to roam freely in the park and the park should allow access to the masses. All three conditions are honoured by the City of Geneva. Thus, the peacocks are the “special guests” of Palais de Nations as per the local law. A cenotaph or tomb of Gustave Ravilliod has also been erected within the premises where his mortal remains rest.

Since then, the peacocks and peahens have been roaming freely within the premises of Palais de Nations, often seen perching on many the more than 100-year-old trees planted from all over the world. Most of the peacocks are from the Indian subcontinent. A Japanese zoo had initially gifted some peacocks to the Palais de Nations and the rest were gifted by the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva. The birds are fed and taken care of by the park’s gardeners.

Many foreign visitors are surprised at the sight of these magnificent peacocks which are not native to Switzerland. The visitors can be seen taking selfies and clicking away with their cameras as the peacocks can be sighted everywhere, even at the entrance of the Assembly Hall. The cost of keeping these feathered guests in style is borne by the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The United Nations Postal Administration office in Palais de Nations came out with a collection of special stamps, which included these peacocks, during its 45th anniversary. Many visitors take a postcard with these stamps on it and post home a goodwill letter. This has become a popular phenomenon with many visitors.

The Ariana Park is also an arboretum and has a fantastic collection of over 800 species of trees brought and planted from all over the world. Some 600 species of trees planted in the Ariana Park of Palais de Nations have been identified and labelled with their biological name and country of origin.

The park has the coveted Nature Reserve certificate. This certificate is given after stringent criteria are met. For example, the Palais de Nations never uses hand or mechanised mowers to cut the lush green grasses which grow during springtime. Instead, a flock of sheep is allowed to graze and feed on these grass and spare the job of cutting and mowing it. In fact, when I met Mr Michael Moller, the director-general of the United Nations office, Geneva, he gifted me a jar of honey which was extracted from the beehive which was kept in the premises itself and the vegetable grown here also are all organic.

I am glad to find that the national bird of India has become very special guests in one of Europe’s most popular building complex visited by people from all over the world. The fact that Geneva is legally bound to honour its promise to retain these birds evokes a sense of surprise. Thanks to Gustave Ravilliod de Rive for ensuring that these birds would be there as long as the Palais de Nations exists.