TheUN--bringingeveryoneclosertogether

The UN – bringing everyone closer together
I am pleased to have this chance today to talk to you about the United Nations, or the UN, as it is more often referred to. The UN is an international organization made up of countries that want to promote world peace. I am very happy to have been chosen to be a Goodwill Ambassador for them. Being a Goodwill Ambassador means that I visit countries where the UN operates programmes to help people. I feel very honoured to have been able to take on this role. Later I shall tell you about some of the work I have done. First I should give you a short description of the UN.
So, when was the United Nations set up? It was set up just after the Second World War, in October 1945 by 51 countries. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN—192 nations altogether. The UN has four main functions: to keep international peace; to develop friendly relationships among nations; to work together in solving international political conflicts and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a centre for organizing the actions or work of different nations.
As you know, the UN touches the lives of people everywhere. The organization is helping end some of the world’s most horrible conflicts. The UN does not have its own army. Instead it borrows soldiers from different countries that belong to the UN. With the help of these armies and other worthy organizations, the UN assists the victims of wars and disasters. In addition, the UN helps protect human rights and works to improve international laws, for example, those on child labour and on equal rights for minorities and women.
That is a little about the UN. Now let me tell you about the work I have been doing with them. My job with the UN is not paid but voluntary, and as I said before, I visit countries where the UN has programmes to help people. So, how do I help by visiting these countries? Well, if I visit these countries, the television and press will follow and record my visits. This will increase people’s knowledge of the work of the UN. In addition, my visits w ill encourage people working on the projects and draw local people’s attention to the situation.
I have visited many countries in Africa. Recently, I was fortunate enough to travel to South Africa, where I met some women who have organized themselves into a group. They collect approximately 1.35 yuan per day from each member and add it to some money contributed by the government. With this, the women have enough money to acquire materials to make baskets. They then sell these at the market for a profit. With luck their group will be able to expand and maybe set up a shop. Such programmes can transform people’s lives by giving them the ability to provide for themselves and their families. There are lots of worthwhile programmes like this under the umbrella o f the UN that have helped millions of people across the world.
Apart from the urgent problems caused by war and conflicts, the UN helps countries with other problems such as lack of education, starvation, disasters, AIDS and other diseases. At a UN meeting in 2000, all of its members agreed to try and meet eight development goals by the year 2015. One of the goals is to ensure that clean water is available to everyone, as in many places water is not safe to drink unless it is boiled. Another is to ensure all children complete primary education. For more information, you may like to look it up on the UN website. So you see, with the work of the UN the world has been brought closer together.。