"* folding cosmos UNESCO Garden of Peace"（2025年9月12日）
2025年9月12日
Revisiting the Garden of Peace at UNESCO – A Living Legacy of Isamu Noguchi
On 12 September 2025, UNESCO will host a ceremony to celebrate the restoration of Isamu Noguchi’s Garden of Peace and to engage future donors.
Restoration of Isamu Noguchi’s Japanese Garden – Call for Support
Created in 1957 by the Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi, UNESCO’s Garden of Peace extends over 1,700 m² at the foot of the Organization’s main building. Conceived as a work of art in its own right, this Japanese garden combines vegetation, stone, and water in a rigorous composition where each element – from the cherry tree to the rock – occupies a precise place. At its center stands the Peace Fountain, with the word “Peace” engraved in reverse so that it appears correctly in the reflection of the water.
The restoration campaign, launched in June 2024 with the rehabilitation of the fountain through skills-based sponsorship, reached a major milestone in September 2025. From 8 to 12 September, Japanese gardening experts, with the support of the French Association of Japanese Gardens, worked to restore the vegetation to its original splendor, thus reinstating Noguchi’s artistic vision. This mission was made possible thanks to the support of the Permanent Delegation of Japan.
To mark the completion of this restoration phase, UNESCO is hosting an official ceremony on Friday, 12 September, bringing together partners, patrons, and institutions involved in this emblematic project to preserve the Organization’s heritage site – a rare example of such a Japanese garden in Europe. The event will feature installations, a tea ceremony, an exclusive tour, and a dance performance, and will conclude with a cocktail reception for invited guests.
In parallel, the exhibition *folding cosmos, conceived by Japanese curator-designer Miwako Kurashima, will be presented in the Ségur Hall from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Previously shown at the Noguchi Museum in New York, this exhibition – supported by Marloes Lagerweij (UNESCO New York) and Matt Kirsch (Noguchi Museum) – invites contemplation and intercultural dialogue through a minimalist space.
This project, part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Japan’s membership of UNESCO and the 80th anniversary of the Organization, highlights UNESCO’s commitment to peace and intercultural dialogue. The Paris edition will feature:
Art installations
A traditional tea ceremony
A dance performance in the garden
Artists and works presented during the ceremony:
Isamu Noguchi, Akari PL2, suspension lampe
Akari PL2 - The Noguchi Museum (variation from The Noguchi Museum)
Miwako Kurashima, * folding cosmos, installation with tea ceremonies
* folding cosmos | KOSMOS
Ai Kithara, Eruption, sculpture
Eruption | Aï Kitahara
Kineta Kunimatsu, Alps, sculpture
ALPS - PORTFOLIO - Kineta Kunimatsu
Teddy Sanchez, Envahisseurs, dance performance
Envahisseurs - Envahisseurs
On 12 September 2025, UNESCO will host a ceremony to celebrate the restoration of Isamu Noguchi’s Garden of Peace and to engage future donors.
Restoration of Isamu Noguchi’s Japanese Garden – Call for Support
Created in 1957 by the Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi, UNESCO’s Garden of Peace extends over 1,700 m² at the foot of the Organization’s main building. Conceived as a work of art in its own right, this Japanese garden combines vegetation, stone, and water in a rigorous composition where each element – from the cherry tree to the rock – occupies a precise place. At its center stands the Peace Fountain, with the word “Peace” engraved in reverse so that it appears correctly in the reflection of the water.
The restoration campaign, launched in June 2024 with the rehabilitation of the fountain through skills-based sponsorship, reached a major milestone in September 2025. From 8 to 12 September, Japanese gardening experts, with the support of the French Association of Japanese Gardens, worked to restore the vegetation to its original splendor, thus reinstating Noguchi’s artistic vision. This mission was made possible thanks to the support of the Permanent Delegation of Japan.
To mark the completion of this restoration phase, UNESCO is hosting an official ceremony on Friday, 12 September, bringing together partners, patrons, and institutions involved in this emblematic project to preserve the Organization’s heritage site – a rare example of such a Japanese garden in Europe. The event will feature installations, a tea ceremony, an exclusive tour, and a dance performance, and will conclude with a cocktail reception for invited guests.
In parallel, the exhibition *folding cosmos, conceived by Japanese curator-designer Miwako Kurashima, will be presented in the Ségur Hall from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Previously shown at the Noguchi Museum in New York, this exhibition – supported by Marloes Lagerweij (UNESCO New York) and Matt Kirsch (Noguchi Museum) – invites contemplation and intercultural dialogue through a minimalist space.
This project, part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Japan’s membership of UNESCO and the 80th anniversary of the Organization, highlights UNESCO’s commitment to peace and intercultural dialogue. The Paris edition will feature:
Art installations
A traditional tea ceremony
A dance performance in the garden
Artists and works presented during the ceremony:
Isamu Noguchi, Akari PL2, suspension lampe
Akari PL2 - The Noguchi Museum (variation from The Noguchi Museum)
Miwako Kurashima, * folding cosmos, installation with tea ceremonies
* folding cosmos | KOSMOS
Ai Kithara, Eruption, sculpture
Eruption | Aï Kitahara
Kineta Kunimatsu, Alps, sculpture
ALPS - PORTFOLIO - Kineta Kunimatsu
Teddy Sanchez, Envahisseurs, dance performance
Envahisseurs - Envahisseurs
