Director-General's remarks at the Re-unveiling of the Broken Chair sculpture

Re-unveiling of the Broken Chair sculpture
Tuesday, 20 May 2025 at 12.00 p.m.
Place des Nations

Mr. Suda-Lang (Director of Handicap International Switzerland),
Mr. Apothéloz (Vice-President of the Council of State of the Republic and Canton of Geneva),
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour to join you today for the re-opening of the Broken Chair monument. My sincere thanks to Mr. Daniel Suda-Lang, Director of Handicap International Switzerland, for inviting me to witness this special occasion and to share a few reflections.

As you all know, the Broken Chair represents the ongoing fight against landmines and cluster munitions. An estimated 100 million people across more than 60 countries and territories continue to live under the persistent threat of landmines and explosive ordnance. This enduring danger is largely the result of escalating armed conflicts and the increased use of improvised explosive devices – a trend that has, unfortunately, intensified over the past decade.

At the same time, the Chair stands as a symbol of both vulnerability and resilience: the vulnerability of innocent people, including children, who may be killed or injured by landmines or cluster munitions, as well as the strength of the survivors and of all those who work tirelessly to eliminate the scourge of these weapons from our world, such as Handicap International.

For more than 40 years, Handicap International has supported persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations all around the world. From post-trauma care to rehabilitation support services, from mental health assistance to global advocacy, the work of Handicap International has transformed countless lives.

At the United Nations, we have long recognized non-governmental organizations, like Handicap International, as vital partners. NGOs were key in the establishment of the United Nations and the development of our Charter, and for 80 years have been instrumental – both in the field and diplomatic forums – in advancing our shared goals.

The United Nations system relies on the expertise and active engagement of NGOs across different sectors, including education, health, poverty eradication, human rights, gender equality and indigenous issues. At UN Geneva, we are committed to promoting, expanding and strengthening the role of NGOs in the multilateral diplomacy that takes place here. It is therefore deeply symbolic that the Palais des Nations, home of the United Nations in Geneva, and the Broken Chair, representing the work of an NGO, face each other.

Furthermore, by virtue of its location, the Broken Chair is seen daily by the many men and women who work in International Geneva, whether for the United Nations, international organizations, NGOs or Member States, as they commute to and from work. As well as being a powerful and constant reminder of the importance of the fight against landmines and cluster munitions, this striking artwork also symbolizes the ongoing efforts of International Geneva to build a better and safer world. For those of us at the United Nations, it echoes the powerful opening words of our Charter: “We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…” Moreover, since its vandalism in December, the Broken Chair has gained an additional layer of symbolism: that even when we are damaged, we can continue to stand strong.

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the United Nations, it is a privilege to join you today for the re-opening of the Broken Chair. I congratulate Handicap International and its supporters on the restoration of this monument. May it long stand tall as an iconic symbol of International Geneva and of the power of international cooperation to build a better future for all.

Thank you.