United Nations Day: 79 years ago today the United Nations was born, October 24, 1945

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Updated  October 24, 2024 9:37am EDT
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United Nations Day is an annual commemorative day to reflect on the day the United Nations (UN) was born, October 24, 1945.

The UN is an international organization that works to maintain peace and security, promote human rights, and develop friendly relations between nations. 

The United Nations Charter, which was adopted and signed June 26, 1945, went into effect 79 years ago today. 

World War II was what pushed the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union to begin formulating the original U.N. Declaration which was signed by 26 nations in January 1942. 

The United Nations headquarters building, in New York City, on March 4, 2024. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)

This declaration was put into action as an opposition to Germany, Italy and Japan, the Axis Powers. 

The Axis Powers was a military alliance of countries that fought against the Allies in World War II.

The principles of the U.N. Charter were first outlined at the San Francisco Conference, which began on April 25, 1945. 

The conference aimed to create an international organization focused on preventing future wars, protecting human rights, upholding international law, and promoting social progress and freedom.

Photograph taken during the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco in 1945. Dated 20th Century. (Photo by: Ann Ronan Picture Library/Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Two key goals of the Charter were to support equal rights and self-determination for all nations, especially smaller ones threatened by post-war communist powers, and to encourage global cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian issues.

With the war over, the U.N. Security Council, consisting of the U.S., Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and China, was tasked with maintaining peace. 

Each country had veto power over the others. 

Winston Churchill urged the U.N. to use its charter to unite Europe against communist expansion, but given the makeup of the Security Council, this would prove difficult.

Recent work of the United Nations: 

Renewing sanctions on Haiti:

The Security Council unanimously renewed the sanctions regime against Haiti for another year, aiming to lower gang violence and restore security in the country.

Urging for peace in Ukraine:

The UN Disarmament Chief has been calling for lasting peace in Ukraine, emphasizing that weapons transfers to warring parties must comply with international law.

Addressing food insecurity in West and Central Africa:

The World Food Programme is upping its response to rising hunger levels in the region.

Highlighting civilian casualties in conflict zones:

The UN has condemned attacks against civilians in Ukraine, calling them "unconscionable".

Responding to the situation in Sudan:

The UN emergency relief agency has warned about the looming famine in Sudan, stating that urgent action is needed. 

The United Nations Today:

Since its creation in 1945, the United Nations has significantly expanded its focus beyond solely maintaining international peace and security to include a wider range of global issues.

The UN now brings focus to economic development, human rights, environmental protection and humanitarian aid.

The United Nations has experienced significant growth in its membership, largely driven by newly independent nations joining after the decolonization era, which has greatly increased the organization’s diversity in representation. The organization currently consists of 193 member states. 

The UN's headquarters are in New York City, and it also has regional offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. 

For more information visit the United Nations website.

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