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Founded
after World War II by 51 "peace-loving states" combined to oppose
future aggression, the UN now counts 192 member nations, including its newest members,
Nauru, Kiribati, and Tonga in
1999, Tuvalu and Yugoslavia in 2000, Switzerland and East
Timor in 2002, and Montenegro in 2006.
United Nations Day has been observed on October 24 since 1948 and celebrates the objectives and accomplishments of the organization, which was established on October 24, 1945.
The UN engages in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions across
the globe. Though some say its influence has declined in recent
decades, the United Nations still plays a tremendous role in
world politics. In 2001 the United Nations and Kofi Annan, then
secretary-general of the UN, won the Nobel Peace Prize "for their work for a
better organized and more peaceful world."
Peacekeeping Missions
Since 1948 there have been 63 UN peacekeeping operations; 17 are
currently under way. Thus far, close to 130 nations have
contributed personnel at various times; 119 are currently
providing peacekeepers.
As of September 30, 2007, there were 17 peacekeeping operations
underway with a total of 82,978 personnel.
The top contributors of military and civilian personnel to missions as of March 2007 were Pakistan (10,173), Bangladesh (9,675), India (9,471), and Nepal (3,628). The small island nation of Fiji has
taken part in virtually every UN peacekeeping operation, as has
Canada.
Charter and Principal Organs
The UN Charter comprises a preamble and 19 chapters divided into 111 articles. The Charter sets forth
the purposes of the United Nations as: the maintenance of
international peace and security, the development of friendly
relations between states, and the achievement of cooperation in
solving international economic, social, cultural, and
humanitarian problems. It expresses a strong hope for the
equality of all people and the expansion of basic freedoms.
The principal organs of the United Nations, as specified in the
Charter, are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council,
the Trusteeship Council (see trusteeship, territorial), the
International Court of
Justice, and the Secretariat. The UN also included many other
specialized agencies not set forth in
the charter.
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The secretary general transcends a merely administrative role by
his authority to bring situations to the attention of various UN
organs, and by his position as an impartial party in effecting
conciliation.
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