United Nations Information Centres

Last updated
United Nations Information Centres
AbbreviationUNIC
Formation1946
PurposeInformation centre
Headquarters New York
Head
António Guterres [1] (2017–present)
Website unic.un.org

The United Nations Information Centres (UNIC) were established in 1946, headquartered in New York, United States. [2] Spread across 63 countries worldwide. [3] These centres, until 2018, facilitated the exchange and sharing of current global events on behalf of the United Nations (UN). Under the management of the Department of Global Communications within the UN Secretariat until 2018, UNICs were pivotal in communicating the organization's challenges. The Department of Global Communications oversaw and sanctioned all developmental initiatives, primarily concentrating on thematic campaigns promoting UN-related concerns, subsequently distributed through regional information centres. [4]

Contents

History

Established in 1946 under the auspices of the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC), the United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) stand as integral pillars in fostering global collaboration and facilitating the exchange of vital information. The DGC, committed to serving the diverse populations under the United Nations umbrella, assumed responsibility for the oversight and coordination of UNIC operations.

The inaugural establishment of UNICs in 1946 marked the genesis of a network designed to bridge communication gaps on a global scale. Initially consisting of two centers, their mandate swiftly expanded over the years, extending their footprint to encompass 63 countries worldwide. Positioned as central hubs within their respective regions, UNICs assumed a pivotal role in the dissemination of pertinent information pertaining to the United Nations System.

From their headquarters in New York, United States, UNICs served as conduits for the transmission of updates, initiatives, and challenges encountered within the United Nations framework. By leveraging their strategic locations and robust communication networks, these centers fulfill their mandate of fostering a more informed and interconnected global community. [5] [6]

Head of Department is Ms. Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. She leads the UN’s Department of Global Communications, which informs global audiences about the state of the world and engages them to build support for the work and goals of the United Nations.

The United Nations Information Centres (UNICs), the field offices of the Department of Global Communications, are the principal sources of information about the United Nations system in the countries where they are located. UNICs are responsible for promoting greater public understanding of and support for the aims and activities of the United Nations. UNICs deliver information about the United Nations in their respective countries, in local languages, to a wide range of people, including journalists, government officials, civil society representatives, students, educators and researchers.

Scope

United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) have been strategically established across various regions, including Europe, the Americas, the UAE, Asia & the Pacific, and Africa. These centers serve as vital conduits aimed at bridging communication divides by disseminating essential United Nations information to people worldwide. To ensure accessibility and comprehensibility, all information is meticulously translated and presented in the regional languages of their respective areas.

Often referred to as United Nations Regional Information Centres, these entities play a crucial role in fostering connections between the United Nations and the populations of developing nations. Their mandate extends to engaging with media outlets, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to facilitate coordination within the UN system. Additionally, UNICs forge partnerships with governmental, non-governmental, and private sector organizations to advance shared objectives and initiatives.

In line with their mission, UNICs maintain both physical and digital repositories of information, including libraries and electronic mediums. These resources serve as valuable assets in promoting awareness and understanding of the United Nations' work and objectives among diverse audiences across the globe. [7] [8]

Activities

UNICs are involved in various core activities aimed at disseminating the latest information about the UN system. [9]

List of centres

The following are all of the current information centres, as well as all the areas they serve: [10]

African States

CentreEstablishedAreas servicedDirector
UNIC Accra1958Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone
Sylvia Lopez-Ekra
UNIC Antananarivo1963Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar Violet Kakyomya
UNO Asmara1993Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea Susan Ngongi
UNIC Brazzaville1983Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Congo Anthony Ohemeng-Boamah
UNIC Bujumbura1961Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi Garry Conille
UNIC Dakar1964Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal
Flag of Cape Verde.svg  Cape Verde
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast
Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau
Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania
Damian Cardona Onses
UNIC Dar es Salaam1961Flag of Tanzania.svg  United Republic of Tanzania Alvaro Rodriguez
UNIC Harare1982Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe Bishow Parajuli
UNIC Lagos1967Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria Ronald Kayanja
UNIC Lome1962Flag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo
Flag of Benin.svg  Benin
Damien Mama
UNIC Lusaka1975Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia Janet Rogan
UNIC Nairobi1974Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles
Nasser Ega-Musa
UNIC Ouagadougou1982Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
Flag of Chad.svg  Chad
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger
Metsi Makhetha
UNIC Pretoria1995Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Masimba Tafirenyika
UNIC Windhoek1992Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia Rachel Odede
UNIC Yaounde1965Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  Central African Republic
Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon
Allegra Maria Del Pilar Baiocchi

American States

CentreEstablishedAreas servicedDirector
UNIC Asuncion1962Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay Jorge Meza
UNIC Bogota1954Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Helene Papper
UNIC Buenos Aires1948Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
Tamar Hahn
UNIC La Paz1963Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Mauricio Ramirez-Villegas
UNIC Lima1960Flag of Peru.svg  Peru Maria del Carmen Sacasa
UNIC Mexico City1947Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic
Giancarlo Summa
UNIC Panama City1984Flag of Panama.svg  Panama Harold Robinson
UNIC Port of Spain1962Countries:
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda
Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados
Flag of Belize.svg  Belize
Flag of Dominica.svg  Dominica
Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada
Flag of Guyana.svg  Guyana
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag of Saint Lucia.svg  Saint Lucia
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago
Other areas:
Flag of Aruba.svg  Aruba
Flag of Bonaire.svg  Bonaire
Flag of Curacao.svg  Curaçao
Flag of Saba.svg  Saba
Flag of Sint Eustatius.svg  Sint Eustatius
Flag of Sint Maarten.svg  Sint Maarten
Juan Miguel Diez
UNIC Rio de Janeiro1947Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Maurizio Giuliano
UNIC Washington 1946Flag of the United States.svg  United States of America Robert Skinner [11]

Arab States

CentreEstablishedAreas servicedDirector
UNIC Algiers1963Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria Eric Overvest
UNIC Beirut1962Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait
Flag of Syria (2025-).svg  Syrian Arab Republic
Marguerite El Helou
UNIC Cairo1949Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia
Radhia Achouri
UNIC Khartoum1963Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Gwi-Yeop Son
UNIC Manama1977Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates
Samir Al-Darabi
UNIC Rabat1962Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco Fethi Debbabi (Acting Director)
UNIC Sana'a1994Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen Lise Grande
UNIC Tunis1960Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia Diego Zorrilla

Asia and Pacific States

CentreEstablishedAreas servicedDirector
UNIC Canberra1948Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji
Flag of Kiribati.svg  Kiribati
Flag of Nauru.svg  Nauru
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga
Flag of Tuvalu.svg  Tuvalu
Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu
Christopher Woodthorpe
UNIC Colombo1961Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer
UNIC Dhaka1981Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh Mia Seppo
UNIC Islamabad1951Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan Vlastimil Samek (Acting Director)
UNIC Jakarta1985Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Francyne Harrigan (Acting Director)
UNIC Kathmandu1964Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal Sara Beysolow Nyanti
UNIC Manila1953Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands
Ola Almgren
UNIC New Delhi 1947Flag of India.svg  India
Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan
Darrin Farrant
UNIC Tehran1950Flag of Iran.svg  Iran (Islamic Republic of) Maria Dotsenko
UNIC Tokyo 1958Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Kaoru Nemoto
UNIC Yangon1959Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar Knut Ostby

Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

CentreEstablishedAreas servicedDirector
UNO Almaty1993Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan Abdurahim Muhidov (Officer-in-Charge)
UNIC Ankara1975Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Irena Vojačkova-Sollorano
UNO Baku1992Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan Ghulam Isaczai
UNRIC Brussels 2004Countries:
Flag of Andorra.svg  Andorra
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece
Flag of Vatican City (2023-present).svg  Holy See
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal
Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Other areas served:
Flag of Europe.svg  European Union
Deborah Seward
UNIS Geneva 1947Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Alessandra Vellucci
UNO Kyiv1992Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Osnat Lubrani
UNO Minsk1992Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Joanna Kazana
UNIC Moscow1948Flag of Russia.svg  Russian Federation Vladimir Kuznetsov
UNIC Prague1947Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Michal Broza (Officer-in-Charge)
UNO Tashkent1992Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan Helena Fraser
UNO Tbilisi1992Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia Vinton Louisa
UNIS Vienna 1984Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
Martin Nesirky
UNIC Warsaw1995Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Mariola Ratschka (Officer-in-Charge)
UNO Yerevan1992Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia Shombi Sharp

References

  1. "Secretary General Biography". United Nations. 22 December 2016.
  2. Nations, United. "Who We Are". United Nations. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  3. Nations, United. "United Nations Information Centres - Directory". United Nations. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  4. "Who We Are". United Nations Information Centres.
  5. "UN Information Centre". United Nations Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018.
  6. UN Information Centers & Services. United Nations. 1998. p. 1461. ISBN   978-9-211008401.
  7. "Partnerships". United Nations Information Centres.
  8. "United Nations Information Centres portal". unic.un.org. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  9. Yearbook of the United Nations. United Nations. 2003. pp. 635–636. ISBN   978-9-211009057.
  10. "UNIC Directory". United Nations Information Centres. Department of Global Communications, United Nations. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  11. "Robert Skinner, Director, The United Nations Information Center". UN Association of the National Capital Area. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  1. United Nations Information Centres Website
  2. United Nations
  3. United Nations Information Centre Washington