The administration of the guided tours service at United Nations Headquarters is now handled by the U.N. Department of Public Information. This service, which was started on 20 October 1952 by the American Association for the UN with a staff of 10 girl guides, now employs about 60 of them, representing 30 different nationalities. An average of 3,600 people visit the UN Buildings daily, in some 180 groups. Most of the visitors are briefed in English, but briefings can be given in any of 20 other languages, upon request. Each guide conducts four tours every day. Nearly a million and a half visitors have already taken the guided tours.

This picture shows four of the guides relaxing and chatting in the UN garden between tours. They are (left to right): Kailas Damania, from India; Josie Varias from the Philippines; Leela Lakshman Rao, from India; and Patricia Davidson, from the United Kingdom.