The United Nations Tretyakova Larissa

The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation. Headquarters: New York City Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish Type: Intergovernmental organization Membership: 193 member states,2 observer states Leaders: Secretary‑General - Ban Ki-moon  Deputy Secretary-General - Jan Eliasson   General Assembly President - Mogens Lykketoft  Economic and Social Council President – Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava   Security Council President - Gerard van Bohemen

Establishment The United Nations Charter was drafted at a conference in April–June 1945; this charter took effect 24 October 1945, and the UN began operation. The UN's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies. After the end of the Cold War, the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success.

The six principal organs

The General Assembly Deliberative assembly of all UN member states May resolve non-compulsory recommendations to states or suggestions to the Security Council; Decides on the admission of new members, following proposal by the UNSC; Adopts the budget; Elects the non-permanent members of the UNSC; all members of ECOSOC; the UN Secretary General (following his/her proposal by the UNSC); and the fifteen judges of the International Court of Justice. Each country has one vote.

The Secretariat Administrative organ of the UN Supports the other UN bodies administratively (for example, in the organization of conferences, the writing of reports and studies and the preparation of the budget); Its chairperson – the UN Secretary General – is elected by the General Assembly for a five-year mandate and is the UN's foremost representative.

The International Court of Justice Universal court for international law Decides disputes between states that recognize its jurisdiction; Issues legal opinions; Renders judgement by relative majority. Its fifteen judges are elected by the UN General Assembly for nine-year terms.

The Security Council For international security issues Responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security; May adopt compulsory resolutions; Has fifteen members: five permanent members with veto power and ten elected members.

The Economic and Social Council  For global economical and social affairs Responsible for co-operation between states as regards economic and social matters; Co-ordinates co-operation between the UN's numerous specialized agencies; Has 54 members, elected by the General Assembly to serve staggered three-year mandates.

The Trusteeship Council (currently inactive) For administering trust territories Was originally designed to manage colonial possessions that were former League of Nations mandates; Has been inactive since 1994, when Palau, the last trust territory, attained independence.

The current Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean statesman and politician who is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ban has taken particularly strong views on global warming and peacekeeping.

Interesting facts about the UN The UN began with 51 countries and is now comprised of 193 Member States. The UN reaches virtually every corner of the world. The UN is best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. The UN provides food to 90 million people in over 75 countries. They assist over 34 million refugees. They work with 140 nations to combat climate change.

Interesting facts about the UN The UN vaccinates 58 percent of the world’s children. They keep peace with 120,000 peace keepers over 4 continents. The UN assists about 50 countries per year in elections. They protect human rights through 80 different treaties and declarations. They fight poverty by helping 370 million rural poor individuals achieve better living circumstances. The UN mobilizes $12.5 billion in humanitarian aid. They assist about 30 million women a year by their maternal health efforts.