The UN in New York. (AP)

United Nations, March 13 (PTI): A new group of multilingual guides from 38 countries, including India, will show visitors around the landmark UN building and explain new challenges confronting the international body in the 21st century.

With the number of visitors to the UN headquarters rising by 14 per cent last year to more than 412,000, the new multilingual guides, including one in sign language, will join a select band that has shown over 38 million people around the building on the East river since 1952, under-secretary-general for communications and public information Shashi Tharoor said.

“United Nations tour guides are, in many ways, the human face of the UN headquarters,” Tharoor said of the 26 newcomers who will be joining next week, filling vacancies and bringing the total number of guides to 67.

“They have the daunting task of explaining new challenges confronting the world and the United Nations in the 21st century, from terrorism to bird flu, and also reminding our visitors of the many accomplishments of our first 60 years,” he added.

The guided tours unit of the UN offers tours in 16 languages, and the guides’ linguistic skills and geographic diversity add a valuable dimension to the operation.

This year, the tour operators to join the bandwagon will come from countries such as India, Algeria, China, Cuba, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

To be a guide, applicants must be fluent in English and at least one other language. College education and public speaking skills are also required. During a two-and-a-half week intensive training programme, the new guides are immersed in the history and mandate of the UN, as well as the current activities of the entire UN system, Tharoor said.

The increase in visitors speaking French, Russian and Mandarin has required additional guides fluent in these languages and one skilled in sign language.

During the hour-long lecture tour, guides present the UN’s history and structure, explain its role in current events, describe the unique collection of artworks on display along the tour route and answer visitors’ questions.