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Key Facts About the United Nations

Oct 17, 2024

20 Facts About the United Nations

Introduction

  • Aim: World peace
  • UN is the largest intergovernmental organization working towards international peace and cooperation.

Key Facts

1. What is the United Nations?

  • Largest intergovernmental organization.
  • Goals:
    • Maintain international peace and security
    • Develop friendly relations among nations
    • Achieve international cooperation
    • Harmonize actions of nations

2. United Nations Day

  • Celebrated on October 24th.
  • Celebrations:
    • Lighting buildings with UN blue
    • Learning more about the UN

3. Creation of the UN

  • Charter signed on June 26, 1945, by 50 countries.
  • Official existence: October 24, 1945, after ratification.

4. Missions of the UN

  • Maintain international peace and security.
  • Protect human rights.
  • Develop and respect international law.

5. Non-Member States

  • 193 member states.
  • Non-members: Vatican City and Palestine.
    • Vatican City: Non-voting
    • Palestine: Permanent observer

6. Headquarters and Offices

  • Headquarters: New York City.
  • Main offices: Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, The Hague.

7. Official Languages

  • Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.

8. Awards

  • Won several Academy Awards and Nobel Prizes.

9. Budget

  • Adopted a $3 billion annual budget in 2020.

10. Youngest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

  • Millie Bobby Brown, appointed at age 14 in 2018.

11. Main Organs of the UN

  1. General Assembly
  2. Security Council
  3. Economic and Social Council
  4. Trusteeship Council
  5. International Court of Justice
  6. UN Secretariat

12. The UN Charter

  • Framework for UN system.
  • Drafted at 1945 San Francisco Conference.

13. Specialized Agencies

  • Autonomous with own budgets and boards.
  • Examples: ILO, FAO, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, IMF.

14. Flag and Emblem

  • Designed by Oliver Lincoln Lundquist.
  • Emblem: World map with olive branches.

15. Permanent Members of Security Council

  • Five permanent members: China, France, Russia, UK, USA.

16. Longest Speech

  • By V.K. Krishna Menon, over 8 hours in 1957.

17. Military Personnel

  • Known as Blue Helmets.
  • Over 70,000 personnel contributed globally.

18. Predecessor

  • Succeeded the League of Nations after WWII.

19. Secretary-General

  • Current: António Guterres (since 2017).

20. Name Origin

  • "United Nations" coined by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942.

Conclusion

  • The UN plays a crucial role in international peace and cooperation, providing hope for a better world.

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