Director-General's remarks at World Bee Day 2025

World Bee Day 2025: “Bees for Biodiversity”
Global theme: “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all”
Tuesday, 20 May 2024 at 3.00 p.m.
Conservatory and Botanical Garden Geneva

Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 7th World Bee Day! Today, we gather in the heart of Geneva’s Botanical Garden – a most fitting venue to honor the tireless work of bees and other pollinators, and to reflect on their indispensable role in sustaining life on our planet.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Slovenia, Switzerland and Ethiopia, as well as to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for organizing this meaningful event.

In addition to World Bee Day, we are also commemorating the 80th anniversary of the FAO and celebrating the International Day for Biological Diversity. They remind us of our shared responsibility to protect the natural systems that sustain humanity.

Bees and other pollinators are among the hardest working creatures on Earth. Their pollination services are fundamental to the production of more than 75% of the world’s crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. They are also responsible for pollinating nearly 90% of wild flowering plants, supporting not only our food systems but also the diversity and resilience of natural ecosystems. Without bees, our diets would be less varied, less nutritious, and our landscapes far poorer in both color and life.

Many of you know that we also have bees in the Ariana Park at the Palais des Nations for the last 13 years thanks to the gift of 100 beehives from Switzerland. Our bees are Carniolan bees – named after a region in Slovenia – who are known to be very peaceful.

Bees and other pollinators face unprecedented threats. Habitat loss, unsustainable agricultural practices, climate change, and pollution are driving declines in bee populations worldwide. The loss of pollinators jeopardizes food production, increases costs, and exacerbates food insecurity – especially for rural communities that depend most directly on nature’s bounty.

The United Nations, through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, places biodiversity and healthy ecosystems at the heart of its vision for a peaceful and prosperous future. Pollinators are key to ending hunger, protecting life on land, and – given the interconnected nature of the SDGs – supporting progress across the entire agenda.

In 2024, the United Nations took an important step forward with the adoption of the Pact for the Future. This landmark declaration reaffirmed to commitment of world leaders to turbocharge action on the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, accelerate reforms in the international financial system, and place the needs of future generations at the center of global decision-making. Its focus on sustainable development, peace and security, science and technology, and youth engagement reflects the recognition that today’s complex challenges – from biodiversity loss to climate change – demand collective, inclusive, and innovative solutions.

The theme for this year’s World Bee Day “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all” invites us to look to nature as a model for sustainability. By promoting practices such as agroecology and integrated pest management, we can support pollinators while also fostering healthier soils, cleaner water, and more sustainable food systems.

But the responsibility does not rest with institutions alone. Each of us can contribute – by supporting biodiversity-friendly policies, choosing sustainably produced goods, and raising awareness of the crucial role that pollinators play in our daily lives.
    
International Geneva is proud to serve as a hub for dialogue and cooperation on sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security. Today’s event reflects the power of partnership across sectors and nations – an approach that lies at the heart of multilateralism.

Let us draw inspiration from the bees themselves – symbols of industriousness, harmony, and interdependence – as we work together to build a future that nourishes both people and the planet.

Thank you.