The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations

The Holy See became a Permanent Observer State at the United Nations on 6 April 1964, and since then has always been invited to participate in the meetings of all the sessions of the General Assembly. The Holy See enjoys by its own choice the status of Permanent Observer at the United Nations, rather than of a full Member. This is due primarily to the desire of the Holy See to maintain absolute neutrality in specific political problems and international relations. The Holy See Mission at the United Nations in New York follows the work of the United Nations Organization. In this forum, the Holy See Mission communicates the centuries of experience of the Catholic Church to humanity, and places this experience at the disposal of the United Nations to assist it in its realization of peace, justice, human dignity and humanitarian cooperation and assistance. It is the Holy See which is represented by the Delegations accredited by the Secretariat of State of the Holy See to internatio...