Midori Goto (left) and Yo-Yo Ma, UN Messengers of Peace, perform at the student observance of the International Day of Peace.
Midori Goto (left) and Yo-Yo Ma, UN Messengers of Peace, perform at the student observance of the International Day of Peace. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Building Partnerships

We establish and nurture creative long-term partnerships with many, including the film and advertising industry, NGO coalitions, the business community, academia and young people.

Civil Society

UN Civil Society Conference

As part of our outreach to civil society, the Department has established links with some 1,500 civil society and non-governmental organizations. The Civil Society Unit promotes constructive relations between the United Nations and civil society through dynamic partnerships to foster greater coherence around cross-cutting and emerging issues on the UN’s agenda and by facilitating meaningful civil society engagement in UN processes. Our team provides information and support to a wide range of constituencies to strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue and alliance-building on core UN issues. With system-wide experience and expertise on civil society engagement, we assist and advise UN entities in the implementation of their civil society strategies.

UN Academic Impact

Students with SDG icons

This global initiative aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in furthering the realization of the purposes and mandate of the Organization through activities and research in a shared culture of intellectual social responsibility. This global network continues to expand. Check UNAI News for the latest information.

Creative Community Outreach Initiative

Filming of Sur la Corde Raide at UN Headquarters

Our initiative is designed to tap into the remarkable outreach potential of television and film and to serve as a one-stop shop for writers, directors, producers and broadcasters interested in portraying issues of relevance to the United Nations in their work.

Messenger of Peace Programme

Leonardo DiCaprio

The United Nations partners with celebrity advocates who lend their public voice in support of UN issues and to promote the work of the Organization. The Secretary-General has designated 13 Messengers of Peace and Goodwill Ambassadors to highlight critical issues, such as biodiversity, violence against women, disarmament and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Journalists Fellowship Programme

Journalists Fellowship Programme 2019

The annual Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalists Fellowship Programme is a unique opportunity for journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to spend six weeks at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Established in 1980 by the UN General Assembly, the programme provides journalists with an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the work of the United Nations.