Note to Correspondents

NEW GUIDES JOIN TOUR OPERATION AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS

A new group of 22 multilingual tour guides joined the Department of Public Information at United Nations Headquarters on 16 March.  They come from 14 countries, increasing the total number of guides to 65.  The new group supplements the existing team who conduct tours for nearly half a million visitors each year.  Since 1952, almost 39 million visitors have taken a guided tour of United Nations Headquarters. 

The Guided Tours Unit, part of the Department of Public Information, now offers tours in 16 languages, more than any other tour operation in New York.  The guides have long been considered the Organization’s “Ambassadors to the Public”, and their linguistic skills and geographic diversity add a valuable dimension to the operation. 

To become a United Nations guide, applicants must be fluent in English and in at least one additional language.  College education and public speaking skills are also required.  In the course of their two-and-a-half week intensive training programme, the new guides are immersed in the history and mandate of the United Nations, as well as the current activities of the entire United Nations system.

The recruitment of guides reflects the pattern of visitors to New York.  The increase in visitors speaking French, German and Mandarin, for example, has required additional guides fluent in these languages.  Overall, visitors’ attendance increased by 6 per cent last year.

Guided tours are conducted every day, with a few exceptions.  During the hour-long lecture tour, guides present the United Nations history and structure, explain the role of the United Nations in current events, describe the unique collection of artworks on display along the tour route and answer visitors’ questions.

For more information, please contact Isabelle Broyer, Guided Tours Unit, tel.:  (212) 963 9480, fax:  (212) 963 0071, e-mail:  broyer@un.org or toursunhq@un.org; or visit www.un.org/tours.

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For information media • not an official record