Director-General's remarks at the MAMA "Mother Nature" Art Exhibition Opening

MAMA “Mother Nature” Art Exhibition Opening

Wednesday, 6 May 2026, at 5.00 p.m.
Salle des Pas Perdus, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations for the opening of MAMA “Mother Nature.”

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Israfilov and the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan, as well as to Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, the International Dialogue for Environmental Action, and the Heydar Aliyev Center, who have made this exhibition possible, and for choosing this historic venue to host such a remarkable display at the juncture between art and the natural world.

Art holds a unique power: it can open our eyes, spark reflection, and connect people across cultures. MAMA “Mother Nature” does exactly this, with a clear intention: it invites us to reflect on our relationship with the natural world, and the responsibility we all share for our planet. In this way, it echoes the values that guide the United Nations — cooperation, shared responsibility, and collective care for our common future. It also underscores the importance of multilateralism, where dialogue, partnership, and mutual understanding are central to addressing challenges of a truly global nature, including the climate crisis.

In this context, this initiative resonates strongly with the recent call of the Secretary-General, when presenting the UN’s priorities for 2026 and beyond, for “peace with nature” — reminding us that a world in climate chaos cannot be a world at peace.

Inspired by the vision of Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Founder and Head of the International Dialogue for Environmental Action, this exhibition brings together artists from around the world. I wish to acknowledge their remarkable talent. Their creativity, imagination and sensitivity allow us to experience nature in ways that are at once profound, intimate and universal.

Through painting, sculpture, digital media, photography, and immersive installations, the works on display explore the fragility, resilience and rhythms of the natural world. They remind us that the Earth is not simply a backdrop for human activity but a living system — one that carries memory and wisdom and calls upon us to act as responsible stewards, as the choices we make today will shape the world we leave to future generations.

This exhibition is also a dialogue between tradition and innovation, mythology and contemporary thought. By merging cultural heritage with pressing environmental questions, MAMA “Mother Nature” reminds us that solutions to global challenges are not only technical — they are also cultural, ethical and collective.

This exhibition has already been presented internationally — debuting at COP29 in November 2024 in Baku and subsequently showcased in London, Bahrain, and Rome. Each stage has engaged audiences, incorporated new perspectives, and deepened dialogue around sustainability, creativity and shared responsibility. Its journey underscores a simple truth: environmental challenges affect us all, and addressing them requires openness, cooperation and the exchange of ideas.

I encourage you to take your time to view the exhibition fully and reflect on how art can deepen our understanding of responsibility, interconnection, and care.

Thank you.