UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

09/18/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2025 13:26

Bridging Past and Present: Restoration of the Garden of Peace Revitalizes Isamu Noguchi’s Vision

18 September 2025
This Garden is commonly known as the Japanese Garden, due to its designer, Mr Isamu Noguchi and the involvement of Japan. But I am slightly hesitant to call it that way. Rather, I should emphasize that this is the Garden of Peace, an integral part of the Fontenoy building inaugurated in 1958 as the Headquarters of UNESCO.
H. E. Mr Kano Takehiro
Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Japan to UNESCO, 12 September 2025
Garden of Peace
UNESCO
Nestled at the foot of UNESCO's main building, the Garden of Peace is more than just a patch of green - it's a sanctuary right in the heart of UNESCO's headquarters. It's where employees and visitors can slow down, breathe, and take a moment to reflect looking at the pools of water and the sculptures. But it's also deeply symbolic: a reminder of our shared commitment to protecting biodiversity, celebrating cultural heritage, and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.

The garden was created back in 1957 by the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi and has been undergoing a major restoration project since 2024 to bring it back to its original splendor. In September 2025, the renovation reached a major milestone thanks to a team of Japanese gardening experts who carefully refreshed the plants and landscaping, staying true to Noguchi's artistic vision. As one gardener put it, "Our idea is to really respect and follow the vision of Isamu Noguchi. We follow his design. It is really important."

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Noguchi imagined the garden as something to be experienced slowly, on foot. In an interview with the UNESCO Courier in 1958, he explained that it's "an ambulatory garden, the enjoyment of which is enhanced by walking in it whereby one perceives the relative value of all things." Every element - from the rocks sourced from across Japan to the imported trees - was intentionally placed to create this effect. Interestingly, the space wasn't even meant to be a garden at first; it started as a terrace. Noguchi saw potential in the empty space between the buildings and turned it into something extraordinary.

The recent restoration wrapped up with a celebration on 12 September 2025, bringing together partners, patrons, and institutions who supported the project. Japan, the French Association of Japanese Gardens, and the Noguchi Foundation all played key roles in making this happen. The event was part of UNESCO's 80th anniversary and the 75th anniversary of Japan's membership - a fitting moment to reflect on peace and cultural dialogue. Guests also got to enjoy folding cosmos, an exhibition by Japanese curator-designer Miwako Kurashima, along with artistic performances that connected memory, art, and diplomacy in a beautiful way.


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Commissioned as a bridge between East and West, the Garden of Peace continues to be a living symbol of dialogue, harmony, and respect for nature. Thanks to the restoration, Noguchi's original vision feels alive again - and maybe even ready for new possibilities. As he mused in a 1981 interview, "The garden at UNESCO has an area which I had intended as a performance area-whether people use it that way, that's another story. So, you can imagine things and some day they might be resuscitated."
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