This gift of a bronze sculpture depicts two interlocked spheres. Entitled Sphere within Sphere, this piece is one in a series of similar works displayed across the world. The sculpture was designed for the Vatican and is also displayed in Dublin, Tel Aviv, and the Italian Parliament. The form depicts the globe of Earth itself. This complex work of art, composed of a sphere growing inside another sphere, can be read as a symbol of the emergence of a new world from the old.

This sculpture was designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro (1926 – ), a well-known Italian artist. Pomodoro’s works are notable for their use of geometric shapes that often relate to themes of self-destruction and recreation. Pomodoro has held exhibitions worldwide, including the 1988 Venice Biennale, and museums in Paris, Cairo, Cleveland, Copenhagen and more.

Pomodoro said about this piece, “[the sculpture] reflects and accommodates the environment with its own complex mix of imagery that can be seen as both humanistic and technology-oriented: a smooth exterior womb erupted by complex interior forms. Timely in its introduction, the sculpture is intended as a metaphor for the coming of a new millennium, a promise for the rebirth of a less troubled and destructive world.”

The gift was presented by Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lamberto Dini, and accepted on behalf of the United Nations by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. 

On 21 November 1996, the unveiling ceremony was held and was also attended by the artist, Arnaldo Pomodoro, and Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, Paolo Fulci.