Secretary-General Guterres reaffirms the UN’s founding principles as the body reaches its 75th anniversary
by: Isti Miskolczy
On the 24 of October 2020, the United Nations (created upon the League of Nations in San Francisco, 1945) celebrated its 75th anniversary. The world’s largest political organization (comprising of 193 member states and two observers) was built to achieve peace, justice, equality, and dignity worldwide.
Photo courtesy of Mat Reding via Unsplash
As the Charter of the UN highlights the purposes of the UN include maintaining international peace and security; developing friendly inter-state relations; achieving international cooperation when it comes to economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian crises; and being the centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. Some, however, might argue that these roles of the UN have not been fulfilled during its existence through the past 75 years.
Nevertheless, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to commemorate this event, summarized the achievements of the body so far. In his speech he mentioned among others peace treaties, human rights mechanisms, humanitarian aid, eradication of diseases, reduction of hunger as major accomplishments of the UN.
“Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military confrontation between the major powers.
This is a great achievement of which member States can be proud – and which we must all strive to preserve.” – he also highlighted.
“Yet, there is still so much to be done” – he added, including – among others – expected improvements in gender equality, poverty, nuclear disarmament, and COVID-19. “We can only address them together” – the Secretary-General emphasized.
To commemorate, many buildings – including the UN headquarters in Geneva, the Dublin Castle, and the Grand Place in Brussels – turned into UN-blue on the 24 of October.
