United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations. The UN is headquartered on international territory in New York City. The UN was established after World War II with the aim of preventing future wars, succeeding the ineffective League of Nations; other main offices are in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna and The Hague. On 25 April 1945, 50 governments met in San Francisco for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted on 25 June 1945 and took effect on 24 October 1945, when the UN began operations. Pursuant to the Charter, the organization's objectives include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development, and upholding international law. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; this number grew to 193 in 2011, representing the vast majority of the world's sovereign states. The UN has six principal organs: the General Assembly; the Security Council; the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); the Trusteeship Council; the International Court of Justice; and the UN Secretariat. The UN System includes a multitude of specialized agencies, such as the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The UN's chief administrative officer is the Secretary-General. The UN, its officers, and its agencies have won many Nobel Peace Prizes, though other evaluations of its effectiveness have been mixed. Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development, while others have called it ineffective, biased, or corrupt.

No items found.
.
News
United Nations
News
Art
United Nations
ART
Film
United Nations
FILM
History
United Nations
HISTORY

United Nations: A History and UN news commentary by journalist and historian Stanley Meisler

Literature
United Nations
Literature
Music
United Nations
Music
Travel
United Nations
Travel