The Tree of Life projects an image of all of mankind protected and content under the branches of the tree. The tree of life is an ancient symbol that reminds us of the responsibility of promising each person the right to blossom in life. The artwork has spirals and sculptural forms that show human suffering and the spirit and faith of humans. Artist Ernest Neizvestny (1925 – 2016) said the Tree of Life is “a celebration of the soul of man and the knowledge of man.”

Neizvestny belongs to the Russian avant-garde tradition alongside the likes of Kandinsky, Malevich and Tatlin, who fused Eastern and Western thought in their works. Neizvestny often focused on ideas of world harmony and freedom, and frequently based his works on the human form. He developed the Tree of Life theme in 1956.

President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin presented the gift to Secretary-General of United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali on 21 October 1995. It was later unveiled on 21 December 1995 by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Sergey V. Laurov.

In honor of the United Nations 50th Anniversary, both the Government of the Russian Federation and the Russian Federation Mission unveiled the sculpture to the United Nations to commemorate world peace.