The History of the HCUND

The Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations, Inc., more frequently referred to by its acronym “HCUND,” was established in 1954, only two years after the UN opened its headquarters in New York City.

By 1954, Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, the US Representative to the United Nations, became aware of the lingual, cultural, and personal barriers that made it difficult for delegates and their families to adjust to living in New York. At Ambassador Lodge’s request, a small group of prominent New Yorkers volunteered to reach out to these delegations to help ease their transitions to life in the United States.  This was the beginning of the Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations, Inc.

The importance of the work of the Hospitality Committee was apparent from its very start. It worked with the UN administration to navigate the housing market before the era of Fair Housing regulation, brought delegates into the heart of the Civil Rights movement, and gave delegate spouses the necessary training and tools to help start their own small enterprises once back in their home countries. In recognition of HCUND's essential work, it received permission to establish an office within the UN campus in 1956.  HCUND has maintained that presence to this day. 

Over the years, the Committee programming has included entertaining in private homes, walking tours, cultural events, and curated visits to such places of interest as museums, artist studios, concert and opera halls, theatres, private art collections, parks, sporting facilities, historic homes and places, and other institutions and venues. The Committee organizes conversation groups for speakers of English, French, and Arabic. Complimentary tickets to cultural and civic events and performances are often available. The Committee’s culinary, book, quilting/fiber arts, and film clubs introduce delegates to chefs, writers, filmmakers, and artisans.  We are especially proud of our ability to grow and change with the times, pivoting to virtual programs during the COVID years, responding to delegate family needs, establishing a Diplomatic Spouse Careers Group, and sponsoring programs on autism, Down Syndrome, and wellness. There are also programs geared toward families and children.

After more than seven decades of service, the Hospitality Committee remains a private, self-supporting, and non-partisan organization devoted to guiding delegates and their families to experience the many aspects of life in New York and the surrounding area, and to create a community where friendships are formed across national boundaries.