SIGHT-SEEING AT UNITED NATIONS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 21

SIGHT-SEEING AT UNITED NATIONS

America’s attractions are as wide-ranging as ; the continent, 4s diverse as New York’s towering Manhattan in the east and sprawling super-charged Los Angeles and lovely San Francisco in the west- J

New York... the skyscraper city ... the headquarters city, where sit the leaders of business and industry, the great financial centre . ♦. incomparable Broadway . . . Times Square . . . Rockefeller Centre ... the United Nations building- . • To visit - the United Nations is to watch world history betas enacted. The show is a deep, profound experience where a raised hand can change the lives of millions. The cast of characters includes world-famous figures —-presidents, religious leaders, leading diplomats—end the message is » one that affects everyone in the world. ’ : ' Watching the Show daily are some 7800 visitors to the United Nations community. About 3500 take the hourlong guided tour which ' covers a mile and. a quarter and is conduetedby a staff of 100 attractive guides from all over the world. Together they can answer questions in 28 different languages. The United Nations has its own postal system, issuing United Nations stamps, its own police force, - its own climate (air-condi- i tioned) and its own traffic, regulations. ‘' Five official languages are used: Chinese, English, French, Russian and'Spanish. The working staff of 1 3500 comes from' every cornerof the globe, bringing their

own customs, languages and food—wb|ch is available in the lavishly appointed delegates’ dining room. The public may also eat here at special times. The United Nations is actually three buildings. Most familiar is the slabsided towering secretariat building, where the everyday business is conducted. Below this are the sloping hail of the General Assembly and the less familiar Security Council Chamber. The most exciting highlight of a visit to the United Nations is to attend one of the important meetings - which might be going on at the time.

Tickets to the actual meetings are distributed on a ] first com*, fifst served basis ■. and they are either easy or difficult to get, depending on the importance of the meeting. A • General Assembly ■ ticket, for instance, is next ' to impossible for the short- t term .visitor, - particularly when a hot issue is to be | discussed. : A visitor may also attend d the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, or the Economic and Social Council, listening to a simultaneous translation of the ' - proceedings, and speeches from earphones at each - seat.