UNCA History

History of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA)

The United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) was founded in 1948 at Lake Success on Long Island, where the United Nations was temporarily located.

At the time, the United Nations had 56 member nations. UNCA started with fifty members, mostly representatives of American and Canadian media. The first president of UNCA was John G. Rogers, an American correspondent for the New York Tribune.

Relationship with the UN Secretary-General

The relationship between UNCA, representing the United Nations press corps, and the Secretary-General is based on an agreement dated September 16th, 1995, which was incorporated into the UNCA constitution.

Growth and Influence of UNCA

As the role and influence of the United Nations grew in the world, so did the number of correspondents. From its inception, UNCA worked to bring together correspondents, members of diplomatic delegations, and the Department of Public Information by organizing:

• Press conferences
• Social functions
• Luncheons
• An annual awards event

Notable Guests of UNCA

UNCA has hosted many eminent guests, including:

• King Hussein of Jordan
• Prime Minister Fidel Castro of Cuba
• Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev of the USSR
• Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India
• Polish leader Edward Gierek
• French Foreign Minister Maurice Schumann
• Presidents of General Assemblies
• Secretaries-General

The Dag Hammarskjold Memorial Scholarship Fund

After the tragic death of Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold in a plane crash in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) on September 17, 1961, UNCA established the Dag Hammarskjold Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund annually awards several young journalists from developing countries a stipend to visit the United Nations and cover the General Assembly.

UNCA Global Media Awards

In 1992, the UNCA Executive Committee established the Global Media Awards for excellence in UN coverage. These awards are presented to journalists from around the world, including regions such as:

• Africa
• Asia
• The Arab World
• Latin America

The annual UNCA Awards are held every December in New York.

Legal Status and Recognition

The United Nations Correspondents Association is incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) organization in the State of New York.

The association is recognized annually in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly under the mandate of the Committee to Review United Nations Public Information Policies and Activities, known as The Committee on Information. In its 2013 resolution, the General Assembly commended UNCA for its ongoing activities.