In 2005, The Interpreter was the first feature film to be shot at the United Nations. Now, NBC’s long running series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit will hold the title as the first television show ever shot at the United Nations building in New York.
It seems the UN agreed to this because the episode’s “special victim” is a former child soldier, presumably with the Lord’s Resistance Army. From Reuters:
Executive producer of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” Neal Baer said in a telephone interview that the U.N. had been open to filming the episode since the plot centers around a child soldier from northern Uganda.
The United Nations has been stepping up efforts in recent years to halt the recruitment of child soldiers in northern Uganda and elsewhere in Africa and around the world. “We hope the show will have some impact, and will push leaders to take a stand,” Baer said.
No word on whether any UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors will make any cameos.
UPDATE: In other TV related news, Maureen Ryan reports that the United Nations is going to host a panel discussion with UN officials and Battle Star Galactica actors and producers. The discussion will take place on March 15 at the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council.