Herbarium by Lasvit became Czechia’s first permanent gift to the United Nations
Herbarium by Lasvit was unveiled at United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 22, 2025. President Petr Pavel personally presented what is Czechia’s first permanent gift to the UN, honouring its 80th anniversary and the call to protect biodiversity.
From the heart of Czech glassmaking to the heart of United Nations – on September 22, 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, President Petr Pavel formally presented Lasvit’s Herbarium, a glass installation, as Czechia’s first permanent gift to the UN. The handover took place during the high level week of the 80th General Assembly. Herbarium is a tribute to nature. It carries a broader message about the need to protect the environment and biodiversity, and to preserve them for future generations. The installation places Czech glass in dialogue with the world, next to artworks that nations have contributed over decades. It highlights a living tradition, a belief that materials carry stories, and a commitment to protect nature. Herbarium now speaks for Czechia in a public setting every day. The United Nations Committee on Art supported the selection after reviewing suitability, cultural authenticity, and alignment with the organization’s goals. Herbarium fulfilled these requirements, representing Czech craft and a clear environmental message. Since 1950, Member States, foundations, and individual donors have been able to propose works. Accepted gifts join the UN Gifts collection, a group of artworks, historic objects, and architectural elements that reflect many cultures and periods. Each piece should be symbolically appropriate, indigenous to the donor, and relevant to the work of the UN. Once approved, it becomes part of the permanent display at Headquarters, and is documented on the UN Gifts website to preserve and share this legacy. Until now, according to the outlet Publico, Czechia was among roughly 65 of the 193 member states that had no gift at UN Headquarters. Herbarium thus became the first artwork that the Czech Republic has ever presented to the UN seat. With this gesture, the country joined those that permanently affirm their cultural identity and the values they uphold at the UN. Herbarium uses a special glassmaking technique that enables imprinting any flower or plant in glass and conserve the image of nature as we know it. In the Crystal Valley of Northern Bohemia, molten glass is poured over dried plants, turning them into ash. The glass is then cooled, preserving their forms as a lasting memory. For the United Nations space, the composition was tailored to the architecture, creating a field of flowers from the Lusatian Mountains on a hand finished metal plate. “Herbarium connects Czech glass with the imprint of nature. By pouring molten glass onto dried plants, a unique structure appears, a fragile memory that vanishes in heat yet remains in glass. It is a dialogue of craft, technology, and landscape,” says designer Mária Čulenová. Discover the story behind the piece on the Herbarium page, and read external coverage that documented the unveiling. Learn how a work rooted in a regional craft reached a global institution, and how its message of care for the environment continues to resonate. 
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Herbarium in the media