A brand-new art exhibition opened on 14 December 2022 on the United Nations campus in Turin featuring international artists who offer unique ways of nurturing and healing the earth as a means of inspiring action to address climate change. The opening featured high level guests who included the United Nations Chef de Cabinet Earle Courtenay Rattray, the deputy mayor of Turin Michela Favaro, Ambassador of Ireland to Italy Patricia O'Brien and other representatives from the United Nations, as well as the public and private sector 

In the wake of the UN Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the exhibit – which will continue online into 2023, supports the work of the United Nations in mobilizing urgent action to address climate change and achieve a low-carbon future for all. Commissioned by the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) to mark its 20th anniversary, the exhibition showcases how the College contributes to the global effort to save our planet by putting climate change education into practice. 

"Over its 20-year history, the Staff College has become a trusted provider of innovative learning opportunities, including in the area of climate education” said Jafar Javan, Director of UNSSC. “To celebrate our anniversary, this exhibition demonstrates that art can be a valuable medium for challenging us to rethink how the world approaches climate action.”  

Organized in collaboration with the Association Internationale pour la Biennale des Jeunes Créateurs d’Europe et de la Méditerranée (BJCEM), the exhibition is entitled Fragile soil, Fertile Souls. Through a wide range of media, artists offer conceptions of society where people and planet more than coexist; their mutually supportive alliance leads to unexpected forms of language, identity, and visual expression.  

"We are excited to be working with UNSSC on this important exhibition," said Federica Candelaresi Executive Director of BJCEM. "This exhibition presents differing artistic conceptions of a sustainable future through the eyes of a young, multidisciplinary set of international artists.”   

The exhibition marks the culmination of UNSSC's celebrations of its 20th anniversary in 2022. Commemorative communications have emphasized that over the years the Staff College has evolved to advance learning in support of the UN system and partner organizations as they take action towards the achievement of a peaceful and sustainable future for all  — whether it be addressing global crises, tackling peacekeeping, advancing development and social progress, addressing issues related to youth and women’s empowerment, and keeping the focus on working together to support Member States to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.   

In the last decade, UNSSC has developed several learning solutions to address the multifaceted effects of climate change. It has empowered stakeholders to help transform societies through learning programmes designed to develop knowledge and skills, as well as change attitudes and behaviours to foster a sustainable future.  

The exhibition features 12 artist and is curated by Giulia Colletti. Explore the dedicated microsite to learn more.   

 

About UNSSC 

The UN System Staff College (UNSSC) is an institution dedicated to serving the learning and knowledge needs of the UN System and, increasingly, of partner organizations.It creates first-rate learning experiences grounded in the bedrock values of multilateralism and dignity for all enshrined in the UN charter. The UN system and partners rely on UNSSC to enhance their knowledge and skills across leadership and management, sustainable development, and peace-building. UNSSC is headquartered in Turin, Italy, with a Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development in Bonn, Germany, and an office in New York.   

About BJCEM 

Association Internationale pour la Biennale des Jeunes Créateurs d’Europe et de la Méditerranée (BJCEM) is a network with 47 members from 16 different counties, founded in Sarajevo in 2001. BJCEM believes that art and culture play a fundamental role in our societies by fostering respect and understanding for diversity through the discovery of the values of different cultures that enrich our own. Art is a universal language and, as such, it contributes to bridge borders and resolve conflicts. BJCEM aims at fostering mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and collaboration in the arts among young creators, around the Mediterranean. Its projects and activities provide training, mobility, and exchange opportunities that, in turn, support artists’ creative processes, through personal and professional growth.