UN Iran holds art exhibition with participation of 35 countries

An art exhibition - titled Humanity. Solidarity. One Planet. - was held by the UN in Iran, with the participation of 35 countries. It was held at the Niavaran Cultural-Historic Complex in Tehran from December 8-17, 2023. Bringing together pieces of art and heritage from across the world, the exhibition underlined that, despite the diversity of our world, humans are all part of one; and have one planet as our home.

Located at the complex’s Blue Hall, the exhibit included pieces of art and culture that were lent by Embassies of 34 countries in Iran, in addition to contribution by the host country.

More than 14,000 members of the public visited the premises of the exhibition. This exhibition was supported by the Nivaran Historic-Cultural Complex, the ministries of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, and Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on December 7, 2023, the UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Stefan Priesner extended his gratitude to all the participating embassies and governmental stakeholders for their support in bringing the exhibition to life. The Resident Coordinator said: “this exhibition recalls the core principles of the United Nations based on the UN Charter, which is a singular document in history. It reminds us that despite our differences, we all belong to the same family called Humanity, which is the basis for human rights. It is also based on the principle of Solidarity so that no country and no person is left behind. And last but not least, it calls on us to protect this precious One and only planet that we all call our home.”

“This exhibition aspired to open a window to stories from all corners of the world for the people of Iran, added Mr. Priesner. “This is important because the UN is not only a forum of countries and governments, it is a confluence of peoples.”

The 35 participating countries included: Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Cote D’Ivoire, Croatia, Finland, Holy See (Vatican), Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

To view the catalogue of all the artworks, click here.