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For 80 years, the @UN has served as the essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, prosperity and human rights.
Amid the profound challenges facing our world today, these solutions and global solidarity are needed more than ever.  This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. Born out of the ashes of the Second World War, the organization was the result of a global commitment to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” The founding of the UN also signaled a commitment to an entirely new level of international cooperation grounded in international law and the UN Charter. Eight decades later, one can draw a direct line between the creation of the United Nations and the prevention of a third world war. Today, the United Nations remains the essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, prosperity and human rights. The
UN works tirelessly to support countries as they tackle poverty, hunger
and disease, while also supporting people in need during times of
conflict and disaster. The organization has advanced justice and fairness through international law and respect for human rights, while also pushing for peace through dialogue, debate, diplomacy and consensus-building. Multilateral cooperation is the beating heart of the United Nations, but multilateralism is only as strong as each and every country’s commitment to it. And because we believe in the singular value and purpose of the United Nations, we always strive to improve the institution and the way we work. Amid the profound challenges facing our world today, global solidarity and solutions are needed more than ever |
Adapted from the remarks of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to the Security Council on 18 February 2025.
The United Nations Charter was drafted during the United Nations Conference on International Organization, which began on April 25, 1945, and it was signed on June 26, 1945. It officially came into force on October 24, 1945.
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| The United Nations Charter. |
On June 26, 1945, in San Francisco, the United Nations was formally established with the signing of the UN Charter.
The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace and security and to achieve cooperation among nations on economic, social, and humanitarian problems.
Find the full text of the UN Charter, or read about the history of its making. Listen to a reading of the Preamble. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter
