New Delhi/Geneva: India has added a vibrant touch of cultural diplomacy on the world stage by gifting five young peacocks, including a rare white male, to the UN Office in Geneva. The striking gesture revives a tradition dating back to 1981 and places India’s national bird at the heart of a unique chapter of India-UN ties. It also reflects India’s historical, cultural and rich civilisational soft power.
Glimpses from a special ceremony during which 🇮🇳 handed over five peacocks 🦚 – India’s national bird, in UN🇺🇳 colours to @UNGeneva.
More ⬇️https://t.co/tPx2UWZiQs,@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @mygovindia @PIB_India @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/8fBChVqBfB
— India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) August 8, 2026
The five peafowls — four blue Indian peacocks and one rare white male arrived at Ariana Park, the sprawling grounds of the Palais des Nations, where they are temporarily housed in a spacious aviary before being allowed to roam freely across the estate.
India has presented five young peacocks, four blue and one rare white, reflecting the UN’s colours to the UN Office at Geneva.
Indian envoy to Geneva Arindam Bagchi handed them over to Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of UN Geneva, in a… pic.twitter.com/gfZXNPj1GX
The United Nations Geneva shared stunning visuals of the new arrivals on the X social media platform and captioned it as “#PhotoOfTheWeek”, describing India’s gesture as “beautiful” and noting that the tradition predates the UN itself. “Move over, panda diplomacy,” UN Geneva said in a post, welcoming the five young peacocks as the newest and “most dazzling diplomats” in Geneva.
#PhotoOfTheWeek: 🦚🇮🇳 Five peacocks arrived the Ariana Park at UN Geneva, thanks to @IndiaUNGeneva: a beautiful gesture tied to India's national bird, continuing a century-old tradition.
— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) August 9, 2026
The birds were formally presented by India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, to UN Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya. Bagchi described the donation as a privilege for the Indian mission and highlighted the long-standing tradition of keeping peacocks at the UN complex.
“There is a tradition of having peacocks here. We have donated in 1981 and are delighted to be able to continue this tradition,” Bagchi said. India’s latest donation seeks to replenish the peafowl population, which had dwindled to just one surviving bird.
Today, @IndiaUNGeneva gifted 5 peacocks 🦚 to @ungeneva: a nod to India's national bird and to a tradition going back to the 19th century.
Grateful to India for the newest members of the flock!
— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) August 7, 2026