Episode 27: The United Nations Headquarters in New York City

[00:00:00] Welcome to English, please, the podcast where we explore captivating topics in under 10 minutes, in clear, intermediate English. I’m your host, Christopher. I live and work in New York City, and I’m a language enthusiast who has always been interested in the best ways to learn a new language. 

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This week. New York City is hosting the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters. The General Assembly is a big meeting that happens every September in New York City. It brings together representatives from all 193 countries that are part of the United Nations. During this event, world leaders, diplomats and heads of state come to the UN Headquarters on the east side of Manhattan to talk [00:02:00] about important global issues like peace, security, climate change, human rights, and development. 

This meeting is a key opportunity for countries to share their views and priorities. It also provides a place for discussions and negotiations between countries. Because of this, the event causes a lot of traffic and extra security in the city, due to the high profile visitors. The city is issued a “Gridlock Alert,” which means that traffic will be much, much slower than usual. And often traffic won’t move at all. Although more than 3 million people travel by subway every day in New York City, during this time, many parts of Manhattan still look like parking lots. And the subways are even busier than usual! 

I’m planning to spend a lot of time in my [00:03:00] apartment! 

I’d like to talk about the Headquarters of the United Nations in this episode, since it’s an important part of my city. In fact, the United Nations Headquarters in New York City is one of the most important places in the world. It’s where leaders from many countries meet to discuss global issues and work together for peace and cooperation. 

But before I start, what is the United Nations? 

The United Nations, or the UN as it is often called, was created in 1945, after World War II. It’s main goal has always been to promote peace, cooperation, and to help solve global problems like war, poverty, and climate change. Another important goal of the UN is to protect human rights, which are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, regardless of their [00:04:00] nationality, gender, race, or any other status. There are 193 member countries, which means almost every country in the world as part of the UN. When big problems happen. The UN brings together leaders from all over the world to find peaceful solutions. 

You may wonder why the UN Headquarters would be located in New York City. Well, after World War II, the United Nations needed a place where countries could come together to discuss important issues. New York was chosen because it was a major city, because it was easy to travel to, and because the United States was important world power at that time. Also, New York City offered to donate the land for the Headquarters, making it a convenient choice. The construction of the UN Headquarters started in [00:05:00] 1947 and finished in 1952. 

One of the most interesting things about the United Nations Headquarters is its architecture. The design of the Headquarters was created by a team of famous architects from different countries around the world. The lead architect was Wallace Harrison from the United States, but he worked with many others, including Le Corbusier from France and Oscar Niemeyer from Brazil. This international collaboration reflected the idea of the UN itself: people from different nations working together for a common goal. 

The main building is the Secretariat Building, which is a tall, sleek skyscraper with 39 floors. It has a very modern design with a glass facade that reflects the sky and the East River nearby. This [00:06:00] simple, but elegant design was groundbreaking at the time and influenced the construction of many modern office buildings around the world. 

Another important building is the General Assembly Hall, which has a more traditional style. Inside, the room is decorated with green marble and gold. The high ceiling and curved walls, make the space feel open and grand. You’ve probably seen this location in the news since it’s the hall where the representatives from all 193 member countries meet to discuss and vote on important global issues. 

The United Nations Headquarters also has beautiful gardens that are open to the public. The gardens are more than just a place to relax- they are full of meaning. Many countries have donated sculptures and other [00:07:00] pieces of art to the UN. And some of these works are placed in the gardens. One of the most famous sculptures is The Knotted Gun, a large bronze statue of a revolver with its barrel tied in a knot, symbolizing peace and the rejection of violence. It’s quite moving when you see it in person. 

The Japanese Peace Bell is another famous feature in the gardens. It was a gift from Japan, and it is made of coins collected from 60 different countries. The bell rings every year on the International Day of Peace. 

The gardens also include areas of trees, flowers, and fountains, making it a peaceful retreat in the middle of the busy city. 

One interesting fact about the UN Headquarters is that it is considered international territory. [00:08:00] This means that the land and the buildings do not officially belong to New York City or to the United States, even though they are located here. Instead, ownership is shared by all of the countries that are members of the UN. 

Thousands of people work at the UN Headquarters, about 16,000 in total. These people include diplomats, staff members, and translators. Ah, diplomats are people who represent their countries and help negotiate agreements between different nations. Obviously translators play a very important role because people speak many different languages at the UN, and without translators, it would be hard for everyone to communicate clearly. 

The United Nations works on many global challenges. For [00:09:00] example, it focuses on keeping peace in conflict zones, helping poor countries develop, and addressing issues like climate change and global health. Organizations like UNICEF, which helps children and the World Health Organization, which focuses on public health, are also part of the UN. 

The United Nations Headquarters in New York City is a symbol of global peace and cooperation, and its architecture reflects this international spirit. The beautiful gardens filled with meaningful works of art remind visitors of the UN’s vision to bring peace to the world. The decisions made there really do affect people all over the world. Even though we come from different countries, we really are all connected. 

I hope you were able to understand most of the content in this episode. As [00:10:00] always, there’s a transcript available to help you with your understanding. You can find the link in the episode notes. I recommend listening again with the transcript to help with anything that wasn’t clear. 

And once again, if you are able to support the show by buying a virtual coffee, you can find the link for that and more at comullen.com/pod. 

Again, I’m Christopher, and I want to invite you to join me in future episodes of English, please to hear about a variety of topics, all focused on helping you with your English. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts, and let’s embark on an adventure together in clear, understandable English. 

Sincere, thanks as always for listening, and for your support! 

See you soon!