On 20 July 1969 three NASA astronauts were the first humans to walk on the surface of the moon. The next day New Zealanders watched a delayed television broadcast of the moon landing, which had been relayed via satellite dish from Australia.

This statement by the United Nations Secretary-General U Thant celebrated the achievement of the moon landing. It was circulated to the New Zealand permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, and forms part of a file covering aspects of international relations over moon landings and space debris from 1969 – 1984. New Zealand’s participation in international discussion of these issues was managed through this mission.

The focus of the New York diplomatic mission was managing New Zealand's political, economic and trade relations with the United States of America. In addition it provided consular services for, and protected the rights of, visiting New Zealanders, and worked to promote New Zealand in general, increasing knowledge and raising the profile of the country. The New York post was called a Permanent Mission, which meant that it had a diplomatic mission accredited to the United Nations in New York or its offices in Geneva and Vienna.

To see more about this agency visit Archway: www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=6958

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