World Environment Day was held on Saturday, 5 June 2010, on the premises of the Palais des Nations and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Based on an idea from UN Special magazine, the event was organized by the United Nations Office at Geneva in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the Réseau environnement de Genève.

The Ariana Park which surrounds the Palais des Nations was open to the public. Visitors were able to join guided walking tours of the park, learn more about the environmental work of the United Nations through information points and roundtables, and enjoy a series of performances highlighting the rich cultural diversity of the United Nations. Exciting and educational activities were organized for children of all ages.

The UN Music Club actively participated in the celebrations. Mid-afternoon, on the lush lawn behind the Palais, the Club’s jazz quintet performed on the Scene Serpent, playing a selection of well-known jazz standards.

The newly-formed UN World Music Project had the honour of closing the day’s festivities with a performance of tunes from around the world on the main stage, the Scene Sphere.

See the July-August 2010 issue of UN Special for more articles about, and photos of, the World Environment Day activities.