Nearly 50 life-size portraits are coming to the heart of Brussels this month, putting human faces to the global work of the United Nations as it marks its 80th anniversary.

The international photographic exhibition Shared Lives, Shared Future opens on Place de la Bourse on 10 June, hosted by the City of Brussels in collaboration with the United Nations and the Swiss representations in Belgium and to the European Union. First presented at UN Headquarters in New York in 2025 – with the support of Switzerland, Slovenia and Italy – the exhibition continues its European journey through 5 July.

The portraits span continents and causes: access to healthcare and education, humanitarian aid, human rights, and climate action. Each story is personal and specific. The result is an exhibition that moves beyond institutional language to show what international solidarity looks like in practice: from supporting agriculture in Afghanistan to the protection of the Sonian Forest in Belgium.

“Behind the major international issues lie people’s lives and crises, but also the practical responses provided every day by the United Nations,” said Khalid Zian, Alderman for International Solidarity of the City of Brussels. “As a European capital but also a city of proximity, Brussels aims to highlight human realities that are all too often viewed from a distance.”

The exhibition opens at a moment when multilateralism faces pressure. Camilla Brückner, Director of the UN/UNDP Office in Brussels and Representative of the UN System in the EU, framed it directly: “At a time when multilateralism is being challenged and disinformation and division are on the rise, this initiative gains even greater relevance, reminding us why the UN exists, and why working together is not just an option, but a necessity.”

Swiss Ambassador to the EU Rita Adam echoed that message: “Through these personal accounts, the exhibition serves as a reminder that multilateralism is not an abstract idea, but concrete cooperation in the service of peace, solidarity and human dignity.”

Practical information

10–25 June: Place de la Bourse

25 June – 5 July: 6 Boulevard Anspach