The United Nations Oldest Agency

The UN’s oldest specialized agency was actually founded in 1865 to manage telegraph wires. It predates the invention of the telephone and modern computing by decades.

Originally called the International Telegraph Union, this organization was created to help different countries link their telegraph networks together. It is fascinating to think that an agency focused on digital connectivity today started long before the lightbulb was common. It holds the record for being the oldest international organization still in existence. By setting the global standards for communication, it has shaped how the entire world connects for over 150 years.