United Nations Day – 24th October

United Nations Day – 24th October

United Nations Day observed on 24 October is dedicated to informing the people of the world about the goals and achievements of the United Nations Organization. United Nations Day is a part of United Nations Week, which takes place from 20 to 26 October.

The United Nations was founded to build and sustain peace, promote human rights, and illuminate a path toward social progress for all humankind. The United Nations was founded in 1945 to support collective action to realize peace, development, and human rights for all, following the devastation of the Second World War. Since 1948 October 24th is celebrated as United Nations Day. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly recommended that the day be observed by the Member States as a public holiday.

History

The foundation of the League of Nations was laid in the Treaty of Versailles, which was one of the treaties to formally end the First World War. The treaty was signed on 28 June 1919 in Versailles, France. The League’s purpose was to encourage disarmament, prevent the outbreak of war, and promote dialogue diplomatic measures to settle international disputes and improve the quality of life around the world. However, after World War II, the ‘League of Nations’ understood that we need to work in a different way.

The idea of ​​the United Nations developed in the last years of World War II, especially during the United Nations Conference in San Francisco, which began on April 25, 1945. The United Nations was officially created on 24 October of the same year when a United Nations Charter was ratified. United Nations Day was first celebrated on 24 October 1948. According to the recommendation of the United Nations, since 1971, United Nations Day should be a public holiday in member states. It was also said that there should be an international public holiday on United Nations Day to bring public attention to the role of the United Nations and the achievements of the United Nations.

The United Nations does not work alone but in many specialized agencies such as – World Health Organization / World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization / Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) / United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labor Organization / International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees / United The Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) works with the United Nations Human Rights Council / United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The purposes of the United Nations are described in Charter 1 of the United Nations. These objectives are:

(i) to maintain international peace and security.

(ii) to develop friendly relations between nations.

(iii) to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems.

(iv) To be the center for strengthening the work of nations in the realization of these common ends.

UN-Preamble
Source: UN

Officially the three major challenges the United Nations are facing

Climate Change

A warming climatic system is expected to impact the availability of basic necessities like freshwater, food security, and energy, while efforts to redress climate change, both through adaptation and mitigation, will similarly inform and shape the global development agenda.

Sustainable development

Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the 2030 Agenda, the program for achieving sustainable development by 2030 is mentioned.

Technological innovation

The pace of technological advance has accelerated over recent years and technology is developing in all domains: health, administration, the military, education, agriculture, etc. National and international policies, including intellectual property systems, need to adapt to this evolving environment and address the special needs of different countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs).

Finally, the day of 24 October is important because it should remind us that peace is never achieved definitively and that it must be maintained. The world needs the United Nations. It provides a space where the nations of the world can address their differences and identify their shared concerns. The United States will remain committed to working with the UN in advancing peace, development, and prosperity throughout the globe, and celebrates UN Day with those causes in mind.

Suggested Read: Important Days In October

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Simmi Kamboj

Simmi Kamboj is the Founder and Administrator of Ritiriwaz, your one-stop guide to Indian Culture and Tradition. She had a passion for writing about India's lifestyle, culture, tradition, travel, and is trying to cover all Indian Cultural aspects of Daily Life.