The United

Nations
General Knowledge
The United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an
organization between countries
established on 24 October 1945 to promote
international cooperation.
It was founded to replace the League of
Nations following World War II and to
prevent another conflict.
When it was founded, the UN had 51 Member
States; there are now 193. Most nations
are members of the UN and send diplomats
to the headquarters to hold meetings and
make decisions about global issues.
Principal Goals of the United Nations:
● to maintain international peace and
security.
● to develop friendly relations among
nations.
● to cooperate in solving international
economic, social, cultural and
humanitarian problems and in promoting
respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
● to make the world a better place for
everyone to live.
 Important Facts of the UN:
Headquarters: New York City (International territory) and
The Hague - Netherlands (International Court of Justice)

Official languages:

Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish

Type: Intergovernmental organization

Membership: 193 member states

2 observer states (Palestine and the Holy See)

Leaders:

• Secretary‑General: António Guterres

• Deputy Secretary-General: Amina J. Mohammed

• General Assembly President: Miroslav Lajčák

UN Day: October 24th, 1945

 History of the UN:
After World War I, the nations of the world formed the League of
Nations. This organization was a place where nations could talk
through their differences calmly. However, some countries like
Germany, Italy and Japan ignored the League and tried to solve their
problems through war. Members of the League of Nations did not want
to go to war to protect other members and the League failed. A Second
World War soon followed.
The Allies of World War II often called themselves "the United
Nations" (united against the Axis Powers). After the War, the winners
formed a new organization for world peace. On 25th April 1945 in San
Francisco, they decided on the name '"United Nations". In June they
signed the United Nations Charter saying how the organization would
work. The UN was created on 24 October 1945 and its first meeting was
held in January 1946. Since 1947 the 24th of October has been called
“United Nations Day”.
UN’s Activity:
The main building for the United
Nations is in New York City in the
United States of America, but the UN
also has important offices in Geneva
(Switzerland), Nairobi (Kenya) and
Vienna (Austria).
The UN tries to be peaceful, but
sometimes when talks do not work, the
UN, unlike the League of Nations, will
fight too. In the 1950s the UN helped
South Korea in a war against North
Korea, and in the 1990s the UN helped
to force Iraqi soldiers out of Kuwait.
UN’s Activity:
At other times, the UN has formed
'peacekeeping' forces. UN peacekeepers
travel to troubled places in the world
and try - sometimes successfully,
sometimes not - to keep the peace.
Today there are UN peacekeepers working
in Afghanistan, Cyprus, Haiti, Liberia
and several other countries.
Through a series of goals, resolutions
and declarations adopted by member
nations of the United Nations, the
world has a set of commitments, actions
and goals to help countries to achieve
a sustainable development.
Principal Organs
Principal Organs
General Assembly
● 193 countries (all have 1 vote)
● Decisions are not obligatory
● Recommends to the Security
Council
● Decides on the admission of new
members
● Elects the non-permanent
members of the Security
Council, all members of
Economic and Social Council,
makes the proposal to the SC of
the UN Secretary General, and
the 15 judges of the ICJ
General Assembly: Main Committees

SECURITY

DISEC ECOFIN SOCHUM SPECPOL ABC LEGAL

 Secretariat
● Administrative organ of the UN.
● Its chairman is the UN Secretary
General: Antonio Guterres

(it is elected by the GA for a

five-year mandate and is the most
important representative of the UN)

● Supports the other UN bodies

administratively, in the
organization of conferences,
writing reports and studies, and
the preparation of the budget-plan.
Security Council

International peace and

security
Most powerful organ of the
UN (obligatory resolutions)
Has 15 members: five
permanent members with veto
power (China, Russia,
France, the United Kingdom
and the United States), and
ten elected members
Its decisions include
peacekeeping and peace
enforcement-missions, as
well as non-military
pressure mediums, such as
trade embargos
Security Council
Issues with Veto
Power
Security Council - Peacekeeping
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
● Universal court for international
law (based in The Hague)
● Decides disputes between states
that recognize its jurisdiction
and creates legal opinions
● The 15 judges are elected by the
General Assembly for 9 years.
● Parties on the ICJ can only be
countries, however no
international organizations and
other subjects of international
law (not to be confused with the
ICC)
Trusteeship Council
Was administering trust
territories (currently
not active)
Was originally designed
to manage colonial
possessions that were
earlier League of
Nations mandates
Is inactive since 1994,
with the last trust
territory (Palau)
attaining independence
in 1993
ECOSOC
● 54 countries (rotate every 3
years, GA elected)
● Responsible for cooperation on
economic and social fields
(raising the general standard
of living, solve economic,
social and health problems,
promotion of human rights,
culture, education, and
humanitarian aid)
● Has established numerous
functional and regional
commissions
● Coordinates the cooperation
with the numerous specialized
agencies of the United Nations
ECOSOC
 Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all
United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint
for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into
the future.

At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed
and developing - in a global partnership.

They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go

hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education,
reduce inequality, and economic growth – all while tackling
climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Least developed countries
Videos
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obalGoals
 MINIMUN Research: Part II
1. Quality of life in your country:
a) Education access (is it free?)
b) Health care programs (enough hospitals and medicines?)
c) Pollution (water, air, soil, forests, etc)
d) Clean Energy (check the types of energy your country uses)
e) Unemployment rate, economic growth.
2. International organizations your country is involved in (look
for your country’s allies and enemies).
3. Main characteristics of ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council).
4. List of the Sustainable Development Goals.
5. How is your country going in terms of achieving the goals?
6. Make a list of your country’s biggest issues/problems. Explain
the most important ones.
7. Make a list of your country’s biggest achievements. Explain
the most important ones.