The exhibition “Geneva: The Habitats Within” highlighted the importance of habitat as a crucial element to one’s identity and highlighted Geneva as a ‘home’ to individuals from all walks of life as the city provides them with a sense of comfort in the physical and, by consequence, spiritual realms of a city.

Photographer. Sharmishta Sivaramakrishnan, is a Singaporean citizen who was raised across the Middle East, Europe, South and Southeast Asia. She is the UN Youth Representative for Caring for Cambodia and the Youth Ambassador for World Summit Award. Inspired by her own identity as 'a citizen of many worlds' and 'a local in many cities,'  Sharmishta has captured 16 individuals from all walks of life in various physical spaces in Geneva, both natural and constructed, as where they have found a sense of 'habitat.' The series of photographs demonstrates how Geneva, despite its perception as a transient city, can provide a permanent sense of comfort and belonging. 

The exhibition organizers are the UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit and the United Nations Office at Geneva, including the Perception Change Project with financial support from the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Slovenia.

The exhibition was organized in two locations at the Palais des Nations.

From 25 September 2017 to 3 October 2017 – Passerelle, Building E, Palais des Nations

From 1 to 15 November 2017 – Fence of Pregny Gate, Pregny Gate, Palais des Nations