On 21 November 2025, at the United Nations campus in Bonn, Germany, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Executive Coordinator, Toily Kurbanov, delivered remarks at the inauguration of UN Women’s Bonn Global Office, extending a warm welcome to the UN Women team.
Just this week, I came across a 1995 UN briefing prepared for Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali ahead of his meeting with Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
It proposed three talking points:
1. Thank Germany for its generous air support to UN peacekeeping missions, with C-160 aircraft and CH-53G helicopters.
2. Acknowledge Germany’s interest in a permanent seat on the Security Council — while noting that the issue might not be resolved before the end of that year.
3. Welcome Germany’s offer to host UN agencies in Bonn.
Fast forward 30 years. Those aircraft have long retired. The discussions on Security Council reform may still not be resolved before the end of this year. And yet one thing has endured: UN Bonn, by now — a lasting symbol of Germany’s partnership with the United Nations.
Today, that legacy grows. It is with joy and pride that we welcome UN Women to Bonn.
Here we have 27 UN entities, each bringing their own colour and character to this campus — and UNV, of course, acting as a mechanic behind the scenes. Each of us contributes to advancing gender equality in our own way. But with UN Women here, we open new opportunities for collective impact. You are far more than another logo at the entrance. With you here, our campus has gained a heart.
At UNV, we feel especially close to UN Women because, even as I speak, hundreds of UN Volunteers serve as part of your family worldwide — empowering women and girls, advancing gender equality, and doing so in some of the most diverse and complex settings.
Knowing the breadth of UN Women’s work, and being constantly impressed by your results, we sometimes think of you as a unicorn — able to do everything, solve everything, and deliver on every global ambition for gender equality. In reality, the magical power you display most often is surviving each week with limited staff, limited time, and limited budget.
So to our new colleagues: on the days when things feel especially tough, come see me on the fourth floor of the next building. I can’t promise solutions — but I can promise you won’t feel alone.
More seriously, we are delighted that UN Women’s presence here is already expanding: from 13 colleagues today, to 20 by the end of the year, and 90 in 2026. This will make UN Women the fourth-largest UN entity in Bonn. And once you pass 500 staff, you’ll be number one. No pressure!
But numbers are only half the story. What matters just as much is who is joining: a truly diverse team — staff from every region; young professionals full of energy and ideas; and seasoned experts with decades of experience.
To those preparing to relocate to Bonn: bon voyage.
To our new friends already here:
Welcome home.
Herzlich Willkommen.
Ahlan wa Sahlan.