On June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 nations came together to sign the United Nations Charter – a historic moment for global peace and progress.
To mark the UN’s 70th anniversary this year, over the coming week, we will be sharing 70 facts about the UN and the work it does around the world.
You can find facts 1-10 here, facts 11-20 here, facts 21-30 here, and check out the list below for 10 more.
1. The executive arm of the United Nations is called the Secretariat. (Tweet)
2. The first UN Environment Conference was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972. (Tweet)
3. The UN is working on mine action—clearing mines, helping victims, and more—in 40 countries. (Tweet)
4. The first General Assembly resolution, adopted on January 24, 1946, dealt with atomic energy and weapons of mass destruction. (Tweet)
5. The Food and Agricultural Organization is working on a new solution to fight child malnutrition in Tajikistan. Learn more about it here. (Tweet)
6. China, France, the Russian Federation, the UK, and the US hold the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council. (Tweet)
7. South Sudan is the newest member of the United Nations. It was admitted on July 14, 2011. (Tweet)
8. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, was established in 1950, and “its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.” (Tweet)
9. The UN Secretary Council has 15 members – 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members that are elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term. (Tweet)
10. “Let Us Beat Our Swords into Ploughshares” is a sculpture at UN Headquarters in New York that is meant to “symbolize man’s desire to put an end to war, and to convert the means of destruction into creative tools for the benefit of mankind. (Tweet)
(photo: UN Photo/Andrea Brizzi)