▁a ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁resolution ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁General ▁Assembly . ▁UN IT AR ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁following ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Social ▁Council ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly , ▁which ▁commission ed ▁the ▁UN ▁Secretary - General ▁with ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁United ▁Nations ▁Institute ▁for ▁Training ▁and ▁Research ▁as ▁an ▁autonom ous ▁body ▁within ▁the ▁UN ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁creation ▁of ▁UN IT AR ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁ 3 6 ▁States ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁including ▁ 2 8 ▁African ▁States ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁That ▁un pre ced ented ▁wave ▁of ▁de colon ization ▁created ▁a ▁critical ▁need ▁for ▁assistance , ▁as ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁newly - in dependent ▁States ▁lack ed ▁the ▁capacity ▁to ▁train ▁their ▁young ▁diplom ats . ▁Sh aped ▁by ▁its ▁first ▁four ▁Executive ▁Direct ors ▁originally ▁from ▁newly - in dependent ▁African ▁States , ▁the ▁Institute ’ s ▁vision ▁of ▁training ▁was ▁developed ▁considering ▁the ▁very ▁needs ▁and ▁prior ities ▁of ▁recip ient ▁countries . ▁ ▁UN IT AR ▁comm enced ▁function ing ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁The ▁Institute ▁originally ▁had ▁its ▁headquarters ▁based ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁UN IT AR ’ s ▁headquarters ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁Gene va ▁( Sw itzerland ). ▁ ▁UN IT AR ▁today ▁ ▁The ▁Institute ▁provides ▁training ▁and ▁learning ▁services ▁to ▁national ▁and ▁local ▁government ▁officials ▁of ▁UN