A new study has found that the UN brings significant economic, cultural and educational benefits to the people of New York City. According to Penny Abeywardena, Commissioner of NYC Mayor's Office for International Affairs, the UN has generated thousands of jobs and huge economic output for the city. Referencing the centrepiece of the American football [...]

Biodiversity, or the variety of life on Earth, provides "essential services" to mankind, according to the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Development and scientific experts gathered a few days ago on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, to discuss how to protect the world's biodiversity. UNDP has been working with developing countries across the [...]

The political accord in Libya "stands firm" but is "stuck," according to the head of the United Nations Support Mission in the country, (UNSMIL). The accord, which was signed a year ago this month, is aimed at ending conflict in the North African country following the ouster of former President Muammar al-Qhadafi in 2011. Almost [...]

Members of the UN Security Council have failed to reach a "common ground" regarding a decision to call for a seven-day truce in the Syrian city of Aleppo. That's what Egypt's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, told reporters at UN headquarters on Monday. The UN resolution was drafted by Egypt, [...]

  Give volunteers much-deserved "global applause" says UN chief People around the world are being urged to give volunteers much deserved "global applause" for their commitment to make the world a better place. That's the UN Secretary-General's message for this year's International Volunteer Day observed annually on 5 December. According to UN estimates, there are [...]

The former King of Thailand's focus on improving soil quality can help "families of farmers around the world" reach the Sustainable Development Goals, the internationally agreed targets to fight poverty. That's according to Thailand's ambassador to the UN, Virachai Plasai, speaking ahead of World Soil Day, marked each December 5. The late King Bhumibol Adulyadej [...]

Healthy soil "enables" life on earth and is one of the biggest bulwarks against climate change, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). About a third of the world's soil has been degraded; the impacts of which range from food shortages and drought, to landslides and floods. Soil degradation particularly affects subsistence farmers, [...]

Housing that is "fast, affordable and absolutely green" will free up cities of the future to build without using any concrete. That's according to the chairman of a Spanish environmental housing company, which built one of their new homes in just 32 days, as part of the UN's recent Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador. [...]

Space exploration is the story of "very passionate people that do ground-breaking stuff" and is not only about rockets and satellites, according to a social media specialist who works in the industry. Remco Timmermans spoke about the connection between social media and space during a recent forum in Dubai organized by the UN Office for [...]

One of the ways to break down the stigma faced by persons with disabilities is to make cities more accessible to them. That's the view of Victor Calise, Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, who oversees accessibility projects throughout the "Big Apple". Mr Calise became involved with protection of [...]