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Here you will find
answers to your frequently asked questions.
Discover how the UN works at the UN
Website Site Index.
For any other inquiries, please contact
us.
Thank you and come visit us again!
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Q:
What is the term of the Secretary-General?
A: The Secretary-General's
term is five years. Although there is technically no limit to the number
of five-year terms the top official and chief administrative officer of
the United Nations may serve, no Secretary-General so far has held office
for more than two terms. The current Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea will complete his term in office in December 2011.
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Q:
I'm bringing a group to the United Nations for a Guided Tour. How should
I go about booking one?
If your group is
composed of 12 or more people, you should book the tour in advance by telephoning Group
Reservations at (212) 963-4440 or sending an e-mail to unitg@un.org . If you have fewer than
12 persons in your group, no reservation is necessary. Guided tours are
conducted Monday to Friday: 9:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Tours last approximately 45 minutes. If you need a tour in a
language other than English, call (212) 963-7539 on the day you plan to
visit. For general information on tours including ticket prices, call
(212) 963-TOUR (8687). The United Nations
is located on First Avenue
at 46th Street.
Children under 5 are not admitted on tour. If you are planning to
bring a group of students please visit the Teacher's Link.
This web site offers step-by-step instructions for planning a visit to
the United Nations, including suggestions for resources to use for
preparation and then follow-up with students.
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Q: How can I get
information on the United Nations?
A: The Public Inquiries
Unit distributes information kits containing pamphlets and fact sheets on
a variety of topics of general interest as well as booklets for students
at intermediate and secondary levels and a "teacher's kit"
containing a variety of UN publications. You can also click on the UN Website; UN CyberSchoolBus -or visit a depository
library near you.
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Q:
How many countries are permanent members of the Security Council? Which
ones are they?
A: The Security Council is made up
of 15 members. The 5 permanent members - China,
France, the Russian Federation,
the United Kingdom and
the United States
can block any proposal brought before the Council by casting a negative
vote. The ten non-permanent members are periodically elected by all
Member States for a two-year term.
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Q:
I would like to send an E-mail to the Secretary-General to propose an
idea for how to achieve global unity. What is his E-mail address?
A: E-mails addressed to
the Secretary-General
should be sent to inquiries@un.org
. Proposals can only be taken up by the United Nations when presented by
an official representative of a Member State and after
being duly inscribed on the agenda of the Organization and voted by its
Membership.
Q: How many
countries are there in the world?
A: We are not an
authority on this topic. We suggest you visit a public library in your
area, consult an encyclopedia or a world almanac. The United Nations, however, has 192 Member
Countries.
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Q:
Do you have a listing of job openings/volunteer positions/internships
available?
A: You can find a
listing of employment opportunities with the UN if you visit our
Office of Human Resources Management, at
1 UN Plaza, Room DC1-0200, United Nations, New York, NY 10017 (How
to apply?).They are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00
am to 12:00 noon. For more information on employment opportunities,
please click on Fact-sheet 17.
There is no official
volunteer programme at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York.
You may, however, find information on UN
Volunteers, the volunteer arm of the UN that supports peace, relief
and human development in 150 countries by visiting their website at: http://www.unv.org.
For information on
internships at the United Nations Headquarters, please click on the United
Nations Internship Programme .
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A
UN Tour Guide at work
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Q: I am a high
school graduate and I want to continue my studies at a university. Does
the UN offer scholarships?
A: The UN offers no
general scholarship or student exchange programme.
However, UNESCO's Study Abroad contains
information on study, travel and work in Member countries. This
publication contains 2,950 entries concerning higher education and
training opportunities in all disciplines in 124 countries. It includes
information on scholarships, financial assistance, university-level
courses, short-term courses, training programmes, student employment possibilities and
facilities for handicapped. This publication is available for
consultation in many public libraries, or may be ordered from:
UNESCO Publishing, Promotion and Sales
Division
1, rue Miollis, F-75732
Paris Cedex 15
FRANCE
Fax: 33 01 45 68 57 41
Additional information on educational opportunities at the UN is listed
on its website at www.unsystem.org.
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Q: I heard that
the UN issues international passports, visas and driver's licenses. How
can I apply?
A: No!! Neither the UN
nor any of its specialized agencies or international organizations issues
or authorizes the issuance of international driver's licenses, passports
or travel documents for the public. The issuance of such official
documents is exclusively a function of national authorities. The UN is
not a government and thus cannot issue any of the aforementioned
documents.
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Q:
Where can I purchase or rent flags of various countries?
A: The UN flag and those
of all Member States
are available from UN Gift Centre, United Nations, New York, NY 10017.
Telephone: (212) 963-7700/7702 or toll-free (1-800) 860-7752. The UN does
not "loan" or "rent" flags to corporations or private
individuals.
Q: I need/wish to
donate/ financial assistance from/to the UN.
A: The United Nations accepts voluntary financial
contributions provided that the purpose for which the contributions are
made is consistent with the aims and activities of the Organization. For further information, please click on
donation.
The United Nations cannot provide financial assistance to individuals or private organizations.
Being a Organization of sovereign States, its
funds are allocated only to programmes which
have been officially approved by its Members.
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