More than 68 UNICS around the world form the network of local sources of information about the United Nations System.

"The United Nations cannot achieve the purposes for which it has been created unless the peoples of the world are fully informed of its aims and activities."

The is statement is as valid today as it was in 1946 when the General Assembly set out the terms of reference for the activities of the Department of Public Information (DPI) in resolution 13 (1). In Annex I of that resolution, the Organization called on DPI to establish "branch offices", which are the UNICs we know today, in order to ensure that people in all parts of the world receive as full information as possible about the United Nations.

As active links between the Organization and local media, educational institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UNICs provide up-to-date information material on the aims and activities of the United Nations in the political, economic, social and humanitarian fields.

The role of UNICs differs substantially from region to region, with the work of each UNIC being conditioned by the country and region in which it is located.

In the developed countries, for example, UNIC is sometimes the sole United Nations office. In such countries, UNIC concentrates on its representational roles and on publicizing the economic and social development projects of the United Nations agencies, thereby promoting the value of multilateral assistance in donor countries.

The core task of UNICs in all countries is to reach the right audience with the right information at the right time. They supplement the international media coverage of the United Nations activities with background information, documentation and focus on information dissemination to the widest audience possible.

An important part of UNIC is the Reference Library, which is operating for a wide variety of readers who need access to a collection of United Nations documents and publications. The Library also has films and video cassettes, which are screened for interested audiences at the Centre and are also loaned out to institutions and NGOs.

In order to fulfil their mandate to promote understanding of the United Nations and its activities, UNICs mount multimedia campaigns to publicize world conferences and other major themes. UNICs produce audio-visual and printed information materials appropriate for the country.

UNICs encourage the celebration of designated United Nations observances such as United Nations Day and The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and often organize those observances.

Routine activities of UNICs include the holding of press conferences and briefings for the media, NGOs and other groups in order to draw attention to major UN events or to be addressed by visiting and local officials or experts of the United Nations system.

UNIC in Zimbabwe, like others in countries with a similar situation, translates into major local languages pamphlets and publications which must reach the widest possible audience.