Did Eric Gairy Really Take UFOs to the UN?

Introduction

Grenada occupies a unique place in the history of official interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs). In the late 1970s, Prime Minister Sir Eric Gairy became the only national leader to press the United Nations to treat UFOs as a matter deserving formal international attention. His campaign has since generated a persistent myth: that the UN created a permanent UFO agency or officially endorsed the existence of extraterrestrial visitors. Neither claim is true.

What actually happened is more interesting. Gairy used Grenada’s diplomatic platform to argue that reports of unidentified aerial phenomena should be investigated scientifically rather than dismissed. His efforts reflected a mixture of personal conviction, Cold War optimism about international scientific cooperation, and the growing public fascination with UFOs during the 1970s. Although the United Nations agreed to keep the subject under discussion, it stopped well short of creating the international body that later retellings often describe.[United Nations Digital Library System]digitallibrary.un.orgited Nations Digital Library System UNITEDNATIONS Distr. GENERAL A/32/430 9 DecemberApril 11, 2026…Published: April 11, 2026

Grenada’s UFO Proposals in 1977

Gairy’s campaign did not emerge from an established international movement within the United Nations. It was largely driven by Grenada itself, with Gairy acting as its principal advocate.

In 1977 Grenada asked the UN General Assembly to consider establishing an agency or department that would undertake, coordinate and distribute research into UFOs and related phenomena. The proposal argued that sightings were reported around the world, that many governments had already collected information independently, and that international coordination could benefit humanity. The draft resolution described UFOs as a worldwide phenomenon deserving serious study rather than ridicule.[United Nations Digital Library System]digitallibrary.un.orgited Nations Digital Library System UNITEDNATIONS Distr. GENERAL A/32/430 9 DecemberApril 11, 2026…Published: April 11, 2026

Gairy presented the issue as one of scientific inquiry rather than proof of alien visitation. His speeches stressed that unexplained reports existed and that governments should exchange information instead of allowing the subject to remain fragmented or secretive. At the time, public interest in UFOs was unusually high. Investigations such as the United States Air Force’s Project Blue Book had ended only a few years earlier, while books, documentaries and international UFO conferences had made the topic familiar to audiences across Europe and the Americas.

The proposal nevertheless attracted considerable scepticism from many diplomats. For numerous delegations, the subject appeared peripheral compared with pressing Cold War disputes, decolonisation, economic development and nuclear arms control. The unusual nature of Grenada’s initiative also made Gairy an object of satire in parts of the international press.

The 1978 UN Appearance and Carter Appeal

Gairy did not abandon the effort after the first debate. He returned to the United Nations in 1978 with a revised proposal and attempted to build broader international support.

The campaign extended beyond UN speeches. Earlier, during a meeting with US President Jimmy Carter in September 1977, Gairy raised the question directly and asked whether the United States would support a UN resolution on UFOs and related phenomena. According to the official memorandum of conversation, Carter listened while Secretary of State Cyrus Vance noted that previous American investigations had left a small percentage of reports unexplained, although this did not amount to evidence of extraterrestrial spacecraft.[Reddit]reddit.comFound an interesting conversation between Former Prime Minister of Grenada & President Jimmy Carter.May 22, 2025…Published: May 22, 2025

At the UN in November 1978, Gairy again argued that unidentified flying objects should be investigated internationally. Grenada’s delegation was supported by presentations from civilian UFO researchers, including astronomer J. Allen Hynek, who had become one of the world’s best-known scientific advocates for continued study of unexplained sightings. The discussions included films, photographs and arguments for creating an international clearinghouse for information.[UN Official Documents]documents.un.orgOfficial Documents UNited Nations GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRTY-THIRNovember 3, 2025…Published: November 3, 2025

This combination of official diplomacy and outside UFO researchers was highly unusual. It blurred the boundary between government debate and civilian advocacy, contributing both to the campaign’s visibility and to criticism from diplomats who regarded the proceedings as lacking scientific rigour.

What the United Nations Actually Agreed

The most common misunderstanding is that Gairy persuaded the United Nations to establish a permanent UFO organisation. The historical record shows otherwise.

The General Assembly adopted procedural decisions allowing the issue to remain on its agenda and acknowledged that member states could continue studying unidentified flying objects. However, it did not establish a UN department, research institute or permanent investigative agency dedicated to UFOs. Nor did it declare UFOs to be extraterrestrial spacecraft or endorse any specific explanation for reported sightings.[United Nations Digital Library System]digitallibrary.un.orgited Nations Digital Library SystemEstablishment of an agency or a department of the United Nations for undertaking, co-ordinating and…

The difference matters because later books, television programmes and internet discussions often compress the story into a misleading claim that “the UN created a UFO office.” In reality:

As a result, Gairy’s campaign represents an unsuccessful attempt to reshape the UN agenda rather than a lasting institutional change.

Why Gairy Pursued the Campaign

Historians generally interpret the campaign through several overlapping factors rather than a single explanation.

First was Gairy’s genuine personal interest. Contemporary speeches and diplomatic records show that he believed the subject deserved serious attention and repeatedly described UFOs as a matter of global importance.[WikiLeaks]wikileaks.org1978USUNN05425 dCable: 1978USUNN05425_d…

Second was Grenada’s search for international visibility. Newly independent states often sought distinctive diplomatic initiatives that would give them a recognised voice within the United Nations. Promoting an unusual issue allowed Grenada to attract attention that would have been difficult to achieve through conventional foreign policy.

Third was the wider intellectual climate of the 1970s. Public fascination with paranormal subjects, psychic research, unexplained aerial phenomena and alternative scientific ideas was far stronger than it would become in later decades. Gairy’s initiative reflected that broader cultural moment as much as it reflected Grenadian politics.

From Diplomatic Initiative to Political Symbol

Events soon overtook the campaign. In March 1979, while Gairy was abroad, the New Jewel Movement overthrew his government in a revolution. His removal effectively ended Grenada’s sponsorship of the UN initiative before it could develop further.

Afterwards, Gairy’s UFO campaign acquired a symbolic role in accounts of his premiership. Supporters sometimes portrayed it as a visionary attempt to encourage international scientific cooperation. Critics treated it as evidence that he had become detached from political realities during a period of mounting domestic unrest.

This retrospective framing can obscure the historical record. The campaign was never the defining issue in Grenadian politics, but it became memorable because it was so unusual. It also merged in popular memory with rumours surrounding Gairy’s interest in spiritual matters, even though his UN initiative was presented officially as a proposal for scientific investigation rather than as a religious or mystical movement.

Why the Campaign Still Matters

Eric Gairy’s UN initiative remains significant because it illustrates how unusual ideas can enter mainstream international institutions without being formally endorsed.

For historians of collective belief, the episode is not an example of mass hysteria. There was no nationwide panic over UFOs in Grenada, nor did the United Nations embrace extraordinary claims about alien visitors. Instead, it shows how political leaders can use international organisations to seek legitimacy for topics that lie outside conventional diplomacy.

The campaign also serves as a reminder to distinguish between documented events and later mythmaking. The documented facts are remarkable enough: Grenada’s prime minister persuaded the UN General Assembly to debate UFO research. The enduring legend—that the United Nations created a permanent UFO agency or officially recognised extraterrestrial visitors—goes well beyond what the surviving UN records show.[United Nations Digital Library System]digitallibrary.un.orgited Nations Digital Library System UNITEDNATIONS Distr. GENERAL A/32/430 9 DecemberApril 11, 2026…Published: April 11, 2026

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to Did Eric Gairy Really Take UFOs to the UN?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

The UFO Experience

By Joseph Allen Hynek

Reflects the scientific investigation approach Gairy advocated.

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Book

The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects

By Edward J. Ruppelt

Illustrates official UFO investigations preceding the UN debate.

See on Amazon

Book

UFOs

By Leslie Kean

Examines official governmental interest in UFO reports.

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Book

UFOs : Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the R...

By Leslie Kean, Heather Henderson

First published 2011.

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Browse more on Amazon:The UFO ExperienceThe Report on Unidentified Flying ObjectsUFOs

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Endnotes

1. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/aliens/comments/1kskuy2

Published: May 22, 2025

2. Source: wikileaks.org
Title: 1978USUNN05425 d
Link:https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978USUNN05425_d.html

3. Source: wikileaks.org
Title: 1978USUNN05784 d
Link:https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978USUNN05784_d.html

4. Source: wikileaks.org
Title: 1978USUNN05165 d
Link:https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978USUNN05165_d.html

5. Source: wikileaks.org
Title: 1977USUNN05161 c
Link:https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1977USUNN05161_c.html

6. Source: history.state.gov
Link:https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1977-80v23/d304

7. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Title: ited Nations Digital Library System UNITED
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/655326/files/A_32_430-EN.pdf

Published: April 11, 2026

8. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/527441?ln=en

9. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/655326

10. Source: documents.un.org
Title: Official Documents UN
Link:https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n79/552/98/pdf/n7955298.pdf?OpenElement=

Published: November 3, 2025

11. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/526950?ln=en

12. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/678474

13. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/384337

14. Source: digitallibrary.un.org
Link:https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/526950

15. Source: un.org
Link:https://www.un.org/en/library/questions-about-unga-ask-dag

Additional References

16. Source: countdowntodisclosure.com
Title: un resolution 33 426 the only formal united nations action on ufos 1978
Link:https://countdowntodisclosure.com/articles/un-resolution-33-426-the-only-formal-united-nations-action-on-ufos-1978/

Published: March 1, 2026

17. Source: disclosdex.com
Title: Gairy, Wellington Friday, J
Link:https://disclosdex.com/events/1978-un-general-assembly-ufo-decision

Published: December 18, 1978

18. Source: refworld.org
Link:https://www.refworld.org/legal/resolution/unga/1977/en/9746

19. Source: info-quest.org
Link:https://www.info-quest.org/documents/grenadaufo.html

20. Source: refworld.org
Title: Use of experts and consultants in the United Nations. | Refworld
Link:https://www.refworld.org/legal/resolution/unga/1977/en/9366

21. Source: washingtonpost.com
Title: Some People Think Grenada Is a UFO
Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/11/06/some-people-think-grenada-is-a-ufo/47e0490b-b764-48ce-8cef-8c426abf13b9/

22. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-6ZDo9ux2Y

23. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvc9Pudov3I

24. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MegsssaC-A

25. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMvyK7fie_4