THE UNITED NATIONS The UN emblem shows the world held in the “olive branches of peace”. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN Charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 50 Member States.

The United Nations: Background There are currently 193 Members of the United Nations. They meet in the General Assembly, which is the closest thing to a world parliament. Each country, large or small, rich or poor, has a single vote, however, none of the decisions taken by the Assembly are binding. Nevertheless, the Assembly's decisions become resolutions that carry the weight of world governmental opinion. The senior officer of the United Nations Secretariat is the Secretary-General. The current Secretary General is Mr. Ban Ki-Moon

The United Nations: Background Principles of the UN All Member States have sovereign equality. All Member States must obey the Charter. Countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means. Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force. The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country. Countries should try to assist the United Nations.

The United Nations: Organization

The United Nations: Organization The five permanent member states of the Security Council are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The United Nations: Organization The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is so organized as to be able to function continuously, and a representative of each of its members must be present at all times at United Nations Headquarters.  When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it, the Council's first action is usually to recommend to the parties to try to reach agreement by peaceful means.

The United Nations: Organization When a dispute leads to fighting, the Council's first concern is to bring it to an end as soon as possible. On many occasions, the Council has issued cease- fire directives which have been instrumental in preventing wider hostilities. It also sends United Nations peace-keeping forces to help reduce tensions in troubled areas, keep opposing forces apart and create conditions of calm in which peaceful settlements may be sought. The Council may decide on enforcement measures, economic sanctions (such as trade embargoes) or collective military action.

The United Nations: Purpose The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems.

The United Nations: Purpose To keep peace throughout the world. To develop friendly relations between nations. To work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other's rights and freedoms. To be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims.

The United Nations: Location The United Nations Headquarters is in New York City but the land and buildings are international territory. The UN European Headquarters is in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.  It has offices in Vienna, Austria and Economic Commissions in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Amman in Jordan, Bangkok in Thailand and Santiago in Chile. All information taken from un.org