Student Britannica Articles (Ages 11 and up) on "General Secretariat (Organization of American States)" from the Britannica Online Student Edition
United Nations
The day-to-day business of the UN is carried on by the Secretariat. At its head is the secretary-general, the chief administrative officer of the UN. He or she is appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Security Council. The secretary-general maintains a busy schedule of public appearances, meetings with national leaders and UN representatives, and UN staff meetings. The secretary-general may make personal appeals to prevent wars and international disputes, to request emergency aid, or to facilitate other work of the organization. Included on the staff of the Secretariat are the deputy secretary-general and thousands of workers from most of the countries of the world.
United Nations
The United Nations is divided into six major bodies, or organs, that have specific, complementary responsibilities and powers. These are the General Assembly, the Secretariat, the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council.
Organization of American States
Twenty-one nations of the Western Hemisphere established the Organization of American States (OAS) in Bogotá, Colombia, on April 30, 1948. The aims of the states, as set forth in the charter, are “to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence.” In addition to its own activities, the OAS serves as an agency in the United Nations.
China
The Chinese Communist party is the primary political force in China. Unlike parties in Western democracies, it is a tightly organized movement that controls and leads society at all levels. The party sets policy and controls its execution through government officials who are also party members. The effect is to make the government an organ of the party.
Pan American Highway
Since at least the 16th century there has been a dream of building a road that linked North and South America. In the early 1500s King Charles V of Spain ordered a road built from Mexico to South America, but the technology of the age was not sufficiently advanced for the task. Today the dream has nearly been realized with the construction of the Pan American Highway, a network of highways connecting the capitals and principal cities of South and Central America with highways of the continental United States, including Alaska, and Canada. When completed, the system will total nearly 16,000 miles (26,000 kilometers). By 2001, only a 54-mile (87-kilometer) stretch of road remained to be completed along the border between Panama and Colombia.
Children's Encyclopedia Articles (Ages 8-11) on "General Secretariat (Organization of American States)" from the Britannica Online Student Edition
The Secretariat(from the United Nations article)
The Secretariat administers and coordinates the activities of the United Nations. It is headed by the secretary-general, who is elected by the General Assembly. The secretary-general is the chief spokesperson for the United Nations. In 1946, Trygve Lie of Norway was elected the first secretary-general. The seventh secretary-general, Kofi Annan of Ghana, took office in 1997.
Organization(from the United Nations article)
There were 51 original members of the United Nations. In 2002 there were 191 member nations. The organization consists of six main groups and many smaller agencies. The six are the Security Council, General Assembly, Secretariat, International Court of Justice, Economic and Social Council, and Trusteeship Council.
Organization(from the Commonwealth article)
The Commonwealth includes the United Kingdom and most of its former dependencies and dominions. The sovereign, or independent, member countries are free and equal partners with Great Britain in the association. When a dependency becomes a sovereign country, it can choose whether or not to be a member. The Commonwealth has no written constitution and the members have no legal obligation towards one another.
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