October 24 is the UN International Day. This organization is the main player in the international arena and solves serious political problems, while trying to be guided by the law and international law, rather than the personal ambitions of UN members. However, such a world order was not always. There were moments when the world was on the brink of an abyss and one wrong step could lead to irreparable and irreversible losses. That is why October 24, UN Day is a national holiday for many countries.
World on the eve of World War II
The League of Nations existing at that time was the forerunner of the UN. The action of the structure created at the end of the First World War was aimed at general disarmament and demilitarization of the world community. However, the League of Nations could not pass the test in the face of aggression of the Axis countries (Germany, Italy, Japan), which in the thirties began active hostilities against their neighbors, hiding behind political slogans about the violation of the rights of some peoples by others.
And then the moment came when it became clear that the League of Nations had not fulfilled its tasks. In 1941, the whole of Europe was occupied by Germany, active military operations were carried out in the East, in Africa, in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Most of the European territory of the Soviet Union lay in ruins, and German troops were approaching the capital of the Soviets - Moscow. A rainy day has come for the world. The UN (it was only an idea, not an organization) was simply necessary.
The history of the UN
In February 1942, the main members of the anti-Hitler coalition signed the United Nations Declaration, in which they pledged to fight to the end with the Axis countries (Germany, Italy, Japan). After that, and also thanks to the incredible efforts of the soldiers of the Red Army, the course of the war changed. The world has united against a common enemy. Bloody, obtained at the cost of incredible human victims of victory went one after another.
In 1945, after the surrender of Germany, representatives of 50 states gathered in the American city of San Francisco for the first United Nations Conference. Its purpose was the creation and establishment of the charter of the new United Nations. The main contribution to this work was made by the representatives of the USA, USSR, China and Great Britain. The charter was prepared and signed by all representatives on June 26, 1945. However, the holiday is celebrated on October 24th. UN International Day is celebrated on this day, because it was on October 24, 1945 that this Charter was ratified by the governments of the USSR, Great Britain, France, the USA, China and many other countries.
The main tasks of the UN
The world is tired of war. The First and Second World Wars claimed the lives of about 100 million. Entire generations of talented and gifted people were destroyed. The world should no longer make such mistakes. Naturally, the main task of the UN is to maintain the current world order, resolve external conflicts between states through diplomatic negotiations, and ensure the rule of law and rule of law over lawlessness and brute force. Under the conditions of total nuclear weapons, these tasks are vital for maintaining life on earth.
Over the past 70 years, about 150 states have joined the UN. Everyone understands that only together can we save the world from new destructive wars. That is why UN Day is celebrated in many countries.
UN structure
The tasks assigned to the organization are global. Mechanisms and instruments of influence on international politics were created throughout all 70 years of the organization's existence. Therefore, today the UN in its structure resembles a very complex, but harmoniously working mechanism. There are four main groups of institutions that are part of the organization:
- main group - consists of six organs;
- auxiliary group - organizations that are not included in the main group, which are created to improve coordination among themselves of the bodies of the main group;
- autonomous international bodies, one way or another cooperating with the UN;
- specialized institutions and organizations created for in-depth analysis and solution of various problems.
The main group consists of:
- The General Assembly;
- Security Council
- International Court of Justice ;
- Trusteeship Council;
- The Secretariat;
- Economic and Social Council.
UN International Day
This holiday has been celebrated for a long time, since 1948. The United Nations is a symbol that peace on earth will be preserved and that reason and law will prevail over global armaments and a craving for destructive wars. Therefore, since 1971, UN Day has been celebrated in many countries as a public holiday.
In the countries of the former Soviet Union, this day is not a public holiday, although it is they who account for the main human losses in both world wars. But it was the USSR and the countries that subsequently emerged from it that made a huge contribution to the development of the structure and the expansion of UN influence.
UN Day celebrations in different countries.
In some countries, UN Day is combined with other holidays, which are celebrated on an equally grand scale. So, for example, in Scandinavian countries (Finland, Denmark, Sweden), flag day is celebrated. In many UN member countries, on this day, top officials of states speak to the world community. For example, in the United States of America on this day, the text of the appeal of their president is published annually.
The first persons of the United Nations do not remain aloof from the holiday. Every year on October 24, UN Day is marked by an address from the Secretary General.
This appeal describes the main tasks and goals of the organization and the wishes of the whole world community to solve the tasks set for humanity.
The main modern challenges to humanity and the role of the United Nations in their solution
The world community faces a large number of tasks that cannot be solved without consolidating efforts. The problem of hunger, water shortages, a large number of immigrants due to local conflicts, issues of alternative energy, problems with the depletion of the planet’s natural resources, issues of observing human rights in individual countries - this is not an exhaustive list of problems for which such international issues exist organizations like the UN. These problems are not limited to today.
The UN is the organization that will not allow the interests of individual states to subjugate the interests of all mankind. After all, you can’t live only for today, but you need to think about the future generation and leave them not a land burnt by numerous wars with many problems, but a prosperous and civilized world.