Director-General's remarks at the Ceremony to mark the blooming of the "Soroptimist Women's Voice" roses

Ceremony for the “Soroptimist Women’s Voice” roses
Friday, 26 June 2026 at 2.30 p.m. 
Door 17, Palais des Nations

Delivered on behalf of the Director-General
by Ms. Kira Kruglikova, Director of Administration, United Nations Office at Geneva
 

Dear Ms. Jozefowski [Jolanta jozefowski, President of Soroptimist International Switzerland]
Dear Ms Reimann [Sabine Reimann, President of the European Federation of Soroptimists]
Dear friends and colleagues, 

On behalf of Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, who regrets she cannot be with us today, it is my great pleasure to join you for this special event to mark the blooming of the “SoroptimistWomen’s Voice” roses. 

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Soroptimist International Switzerland for this generous donation, this meaningful initiative and for their continued advocacy for women and girls around the world.

Today, we celebrate not only the blooming of roses, but also what they represent.  Offered to the Palais des Nations as part of the “Emotions en Rose” project, these roses are far more than a beautiful addition to our gardens. As they bloom year after year, they will stand as a living symbol — visible to delegates, staff and visitors alike — of the importance of women’s health, of compassion, and of our shared responsibility to act. 

This message is especially important in the context of breast cancer, which this initiative so powerfully brings to our attention.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women worldwide and the second most common cancer overall. Every minute, four women are diagnosed and one woman dies from the disease. And these numbers are expected to rise. 

Behind these global figures lie stark inequalities: in high-income countries, more than 80 percent of diagnosed women survive, whereas in low-income countries, more than half do not. 

But these are not just statistics. They represent daughters, mothers, sisters, friends and colleagues. Many of us here today have been touched — directly or indirectly — by breast cancer. 

This is why the United Nations system, including our colleagues at the World Health Organization, is firmly committed to raising awareness and saving lives. This effort is closely linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, in particular on Good Health and Well-Being, which aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases, such as breast cancer, by one-third by 2030. 

In this context, the WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative, launched in 2021, seeks to reduce breast cancer mortality rates by 2.5 per cent annually — potentially saving 2.5 million deaths by 2040 — through early detection, timely diagnosis and access to quality treatment.

While important progress is being made, much remains to be done. Initiative such as “Emotions en Rose” play a vital role in raising awareness, promoting early screening, and supporting those affected. 

In this spirit, the roses we see today remind us—quietly but powerfully—that change begins with awareness, compassion and sustained action. They are not only a tribute to women’s health, but are also a powerful symbol of resilience, hope and renewal here at the Palais des Nations. 

Thank you.

[1] Dr. Joanne Kim, scientist from International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised branch of the World Health Organization (WHO). https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1160391