OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION CENTRE, PHILIPPINES

UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION CENTRE Manila, Philippines HomeAbout UNICNewsLibrary ResourcesEventsUNIC UpdatesCareersContact Us   USEFUL LINKS UN Homepage UN System Philippines UNICs Around the World UN CyberSchoolBus UN Conferences and Observances UN Millennium Development Goals Civil Society/Business Frequently Asked Questions   VIEW MORE LINKS   About Us   About UNIC   UNIC in Manila   Related Links   UNICs Around the World About UNIC "The United Nations cannot achieve the purposes for which it has been created unless the peoples of the world are fully informed of its aims and activities" In 1946, the first United Nations General Assembly established the Department of Public Information(DPI) and set out the general guidelines for its activities. By one of these guidelines, DPI was called to establish branch offices in order to ensure that peoples in all parts of the world receive as full information as possible about the United Nations. Today, a network of these branch offices, known as United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) and United Nations Information Services (UNISs), links the United Nations at its Headquarters in New York with UN Member States. There, they are the voice of the United Nations and a very important means of stimulating local interest in global issues. SECRETARY GENERAL'S GOOD OFFICES UNICs assist in meeting the Secretary-General's requirements, especially during visits to the country, as well as providing professional, logistical and administrative assistance to UN offices and operations, depending on needs and circumstances. Many Centres are called upon for practical support for the increasing peace-making activities of the United Nations around the world. RELATIONS WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS UNICs develop a close working relationship with government ministries, research institutions and officials, responding to their different needs for United Nations information. The UNIC Director will often represent the United Nations at official functions, observances and meetings. WORKING WITH THE MEDIA Information Centres assist press and broadcasting media in their respective countries in producing news about the United Nations. UNIC Directors arrange press conferences and panel discussions for UN officials and experts, and often appear on local TV and radio to discuss UN issues. UNICs provide the media with UN print and audio-visual materials, and encourage broadcasting organizations to establish regularly scheduled programmes about the United Nations. UNICs can be prime movers in helping to organize international conferences. As a matter of course, UNICs arrange for translation and distribution of UN press releases, adapt UN radio programmes into local languages, and produce newsletters on current events and projects of the Organization and its specialized agencies. WORKING WITH NGOs AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS UNIC Directors and staff respond to requests from non-government organizations (NGOs) and educational institutions for speakers and lecturers on the work of the United Nations. They provide visiting UN experts with opportunities to speak to NGOs and address other interested audiences. They organize special events to mark UN observances, such as UN Day, Human Rights Day and Disarmament Week, and assist NGOs when they organize their own activities on issues of concern to the United Nations. UNICs promote teaching about the United Nations through direct contact with teachers and educators, encouraging studies about the Organization in curricula, in organization of Model UN sessions, and in making available documents, publications and videos geared to young audiences. OTHER FUNCTIONS INCLUDE: - Promoting, as a focal point for public information activities, the presence of the UN system in the country and projecting a unified approach and image; - Working with organizations and local groups and seeking assistance to further understanding about the United Nations; - Answering public inquiries. UNICs are linked to UN Headquarters and to each other by electronic mail and facsimile, enabling them to obtain the latest information as fast as possible. The network is a unique source of information on topics such as peace-keeping, peace-making, human rights, economic and social development, disaster relief, environment, and election monitoring. - Reporting back to Headquarters the public perception of the United Nations in the country, as expressed by the media, the academic community and NGOs.

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