United Nations Day is celebrated on 24th October.
The United Nations Charter was drafted at a conference between 25th April 1945 and 26th June 1945 in San Francisco, USA. Delegates from 50 Allied nations attended the conference and signed the new charter. It came into force on 24th October 1945. Its aim was to maintain international peace and security, promote human rights, foster social and economic development, protect the environment and provide aid in cases of famine, natural disaster and armed conflict. Thus, the United Nations was established.
The United Nations was founded with 51 member states but now has 193 members. Its headquarters are in Manhattan, New York but has other main offices in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna. The United Nations is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. The United Nations was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 2001.
In 1948, the United Nations declared 24th October as United Nations Day with a remit to ensure people from around the world were made aware of the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to support the work it undertook.
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly, declared United Nations Day as an international holiday and recommended member states observe it as a public holiday.
United Nations Day is traditionally marked around the world with meetings, discussions and exhibits about the achievements and goals of the United Nations. The United Nations flag is flown on important buildings. Iconic monuments, buildings, statues, bridges and other landmarks across the world are lit up in blue. In the United States, since 1946, the President has issued a proclamation.
The United Nations Flag was created from a design by Donal McLaughlin, one of a team of designers led by Oliver Lincoln Lundquist during the conference in April-June 1945. It was approved on 7th December 1946. The design is a map of the world representing an azimuthal equidistant projection centred on the North Pole. The projection of the map extends 60 degrees south latitude, and includes five concentric circles. The map is surrounded by two olive branches - a symbol of peace. The emblem is white with a blue background.
