The United Nations is an international organization whose goal is to “preserve international peace and security, promote self-determination and equal rights, and encourage economic and social well-being.”
The United Nations Headquarters is comprised of four buildings:
- The General Assembly Building – the heart of the UN with an assembly hall that seats 1,800 people.
- The Conference Building – where the various councils (i.e. the Security Council and Economic and Social Council) meet.
- The Secretariat Building – which houses the 7,400 international civil servants and other employees that work at the UN.
- The Hammarskjold Library – dedicated in memory of the second Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, who was killed in a 1961 plane crash.
Interesting Facts:
- The 185 flags in front of the United Nations Headquarters represent each member state in alphabetical order, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
- The United Nations is technically not on United States soil – it is on international territory. For this reason, it has its own security force, fire department, and post office.
- Business is conducted at the UN in six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
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