| A presentation of the Department of Public Information |
Inter-Allied Declaration
Signed in London on 12 June 1941, the Inter-Allied Declaration- "to work together, with other free peoples, both in war and in peace" -was a first step towards the establishment of the United Nations. |
UK PM Churchill, US Pres. Roosevelt at Atlantic Charter. HMS Prince of Wales, 14 Aug 41 (24469 UN/DPI). |
Atlantic Charter
On 14 August 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt of the United States and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom proposed a set of principles for international collaboration in maintaining peace and security. The document, signed during a meeting on the ship HMS Prince of Wales, "somewhere at sea", is known as the Atlantic Charter. |
Declaration by United Nations
On 1 January 1942, representatives of 26 Allied nations fighting against the Axis Powers met in Washington, D.C. to pledge their support for the Atlantic Charter by signing the "Declaration by United Nations". This document contained the first official use of the term "United Nations", which was suggested by President Roosevelt. |
Conf. on Security Organization for Peace in Post-War World (Dumbarton Oaks). Washington, D.C.. 21 Aug 44 (24477 UN/DPI). |
Moscow and Teheran Conferences
In a declaration signed in Moscow on 30 October 1943, the Governments of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and China called for an early establishment of an international organization to maintain peace and security. That goal was reaffirmed at the meeting of the leaders of the United States, the USSR, and the United Kingdom at Teheran on 1 December 1943. |
Dumbarton Oaks Conference
The first blueprint of the UN was prepared at a conference held at a mansion known as Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. During two phases of meetings which ran from 21 September through 7 October 1944, the United States, the United Kingdom, the USSR and China agreed on the aims, structure and functioning of a world organization. |
USSR Prem. Stalin, US Pres. Roosevelt and UK PM Churchill, Yalta, USSR, 12 Feb 45 (24478 UN/DPI). |
Yalta Conference
On 11 February 1945, following meetings at Yalta, President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Joseph Stalin declared their resolve to establish "a general international organization to maintain peace and security". |
San Francisco Conference
On 25 April 1945, delegates of 50 nations met in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International Organization. The delegates drew up the 111-article Charter, which was adopted unanimously on 25 June 1945 in the San Francisco Opera House. The next day, they signed it in the Herbst Theatre auditorium of the Veterans War Memorial Building. |
UN Charter close-up; behind, Egypt signs. San Francisco, 26 Jun 45 (24479 UN/DPI). |
24 October 1945
United Nations is created as its Charter is ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and the majority of other signatories, and comes into force. |
10 January 1946
First General Assembly, with 51 nations represented opens in Central Hall, Westminster, London. |
UK PM Atlee addresses GA1 opening, London, 10 Jan 46 (24480 UN/DPI). |
17 January 1946
Security Council meets for the first time in London, adopting its rules of procedure. |
24 January 1946
General Assembly adopts its first resolution. Its main focus: peaceful uses of atomic energy and the elimination of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction. |
First Security Council meeting, London, 17 Jan 46 (24481 UN/DPI/M. Bolomey). |
1 February 1946
Trygve Lie of Norway becomes first Secretary-General. |
24 October 1947
"United Nations Day" officially designated by the General Assembly. |
SG Trygvie Lie, Norway, elected 1 Feb. 1946, Lake Success, New York, Aug 49 (22731 UN/DPI). |
June 1948
First UN observer mission established in Palestine -the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO). |
10 December 1948
General Assembly adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights. |
Mrs. Roosevelt holds a Declaration of Human Rights poster, Lake Success, New York, Nov 49 (23783 UN/DPI). |
7 January 1949
A UN envoy, Ralph Bunche, secures cease-fire between the new State of Israel and Arab States. |
24 October 1949
Cornerstone laid for present UN Headquarters in New York City. |
SG Lie and Chief Architect W. Harrison seal cornerstone, New York, 24 Dec 49 (23397 UN/DPI). |
27 June 1950
Security Council, acting in the absence of the Soviet Union, calls on Member States to help southern part of Korea repel invasion from the north. The Korean Armistice Agreement is signed on 27 July 1953 by the UN Command and the Chinese-North Korean Command. |
1954
UN High Commissioner for Refugees wins first of two Nobel Peace Prizes, for its work with European refugees. |
Korean civilians flee fighting, Korea, Jan 51 (32834 UN/DPI/US Army). |
7 November 1956
First Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly meets on the Suez Canal crisis and, on 5 November, decides to establish the first UN peace-keeping force- the UN Emergency Force (UNEF). |
September 1960
17 newly independent States, 16 from Africa, join the UN -the biggest increase in membership in any one year. |
Flagraising of 16 new Member States at UN Headquarters, New York, 30 Sep 60 (67728 UN/DPI/M. Bordy). |
18 September 1961
Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold dies in an aircraft crash while on mission to Congo. |
7 August 1963
Security Council votes voluntary arms embargo against South Africa. |
Yugoslav troops with UNEF on patrol, El Arish, Egypt, Jan 57 (53061 UN/DPI). |
4 March 1964
Security Council approves dispatch of peacekeeping force to Cyprus. |
1965
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. |
Young Indian boy carries bricks to earn a living, India, 1979 (148049 UN/DPI/J.P. Laffont/Sygma). |
27 October 1966
General Assembly strips South Africa of its mandate to govern South-West Africa (Namibia). |
16 December 1966
Mandatory sanctions are imposed against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) by the Security Council. |
SC affirms establishment of peace in Mideast, New York, 22 Nov 67 (101873 UN/DPI/Y. Nagata). |
22 November 1967
Following the six-day war in 1967, the Security Council, after lengthy negotiations, adopts resolution 242 (1967), as the basis for achieving peace in the Middle East. |
12 June 1968
General Assembly approves Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and calls for its ratification. |
UN peacekeeper escorts Greek woman to Greek sector, Nicosia, 27 Apr 64 (84995 UN/DPI/B. Zarov). |
4 January 1969
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination comes into force. |
1969
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. |
PRC delegation formally seated in GA, New York, 15 Nov 71 (117269 UN/DPI/Y. Nagata). |
25 October 1971
General Assembly votes to seat representatives of the People's Republic of China. |
June 1972
The first UN Environment Conference is held in Stockholm, Sweden, leading to the establishment of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), headquartered in Nairobi. |
Voting board as GA grants PLO observer status, New York, 22 Nov 74 (126887 UN/DPI/T. Chen). |
13 November 1974
General Assembly recognizes the Palestine Liberation Organization as "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people". |
June-July 1975
International Women's Year is marked by the first UN conference on women, held in Mexico City. |
Women at UNICEF-assisted family planning clinic, Settat, Morocco, Jul 87 (156359 UN/DPI/J. Isaac). |
4 November 1977
Security Council adopts mandatory arms embargo against South Africa. |
May-June 1978
General Assembly convenes special session, for the first time, on disarmament. |
In Lesotho, a female work crew builds a road, Lesotho, 1969 (118420 UN/DPI/K. Muldoon). |
18 December 1979
General Assembly adopts the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, covering political, economic, social, cultural and civic values. |
8 May 1980
Three years after the last case was reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declares smallpox eradicated. |
Congolese being vaccinated against smallpox, Leopoldville, Jan 62 (73798 UN/DPI/B. Zarov). |
1981
UN High Commissioner for Refugees is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the second time, for its assistance to Asian refugees. |
25 November 1981
General Assembly adopts Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. |
FAO and UNDP assist in exploiting fish resources. Joal, Senegal, 1976 (137725 UN/DPI/J. Mohr). |
10 December 1982
New UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is signed by 117 States and two entities -the largest number of signatures ever affixed to a treaty on its first day. |
December 1984
Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar sets up a UN office for Emergency Operations in Africa to help coordinate famine relief efforts. |
UK Red Cross worker assists drought victims. Bati camp, Ethiopia, 5 Nov 84 (164669 UN/DPI/J. Isaac). |
10 December 1984
General Assembly adopts the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. |
July 1985
Thousands gather in Nairobi to attend the third UN conference on women, marking the end of the UN Decade for Women. |
A brilliant sun shining over Knoxville, Tennessee, US, 1978 (139312 UN/DPI/R. Kollar/TVA). |
September 1987
Efforts of UNEP lead to the signing of the Treaty on the Protection of the Ozone Layer -known as the Montreal Protocol -a follow-up to the 1985 Vienna Convention on the Ozone Layer. |
1988
UN Peacekeeping operations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, at the time there were seven peacekeeping or observer missions in operation. |
Nobel Peace Prize awarded to UN peacekeepers in 1988, New York, Oct 88 (173115 UN/DPI/J. Isaac). |
April 1989
UN Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) is deployed throughout Namibia to monitor South Africa's withdrawal and provide electoral assistance. Elections were held in November 1989; Namibia becomes independent on 21 March 1990. |
2 September 1990
Convention on the Rights of the Child comes into force. |
Cambodian girl holds UN flag, Cambodia, Oct 92 (186080 UN/DPI/S. Sudhakaran). |
29-30 September 1990
UNICEF convenes the World Summit for Children, attended by 71 Heads of State and Government. A Plan of Action is adopted. |
31 May 1991
A cease-fire in the 16-year civil war in Angola is negotiated, then administered by the UN Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II). |
Woman votes in Angola's UN-assisted elections, Luanda, 29 Sep 92 (159419 UN/DPI/M. Grant). |
31 December 1991
Agreement signed at UN Headquarters, through the good offices of the Secretary-General, between the Government of El Salvador and FMLN (National Liberation Front). |
31 January 1992
First ever Security Council Summit, with leaders from all 15 members in attendance, is held in New York leading to the Secretary-General's report, An Agenda for Peace. |
Workers walk home from vulcanizing plant, Copsa Mica, Romania, 1991 (158676 UN/DPI/R. Marklin). |
June 1992
The UN Conference on Environment and Development, the "Earth Summit", is held in Rio de Janeiro attended by leaders from over 100 countries, the largest intergovernmental gathering in history, resulting in Agenda 21, a plan of action for sustainable development. |
17 June 1992
Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali issues "An Agenda for Peace" on preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-keeping and peace-building. |
Women celebrate UN-supervised referendum, Adi Segdo, Eritrea, Apr 93 (159900 UN/DPI/M. Grant). |
1993
Eritrean independence was declared on 27 April, 1993 as a result of a referendum held with UN verification, with more than 98.5% of registered voters voting. Eritrea was subsequently admitted to membership in the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity. |
1993
UN-supervised elections were held in Cambodia resulting in a new government, and the drafting of a new constitution, ending nearly 15 years of strife in the war-torn country. |
Bangladeshi PKOs teach demining to Cambodian, Cambodia, 1992 (159491 UN/DPI/J. Bleibtrev). |
June 1993
The World Conference on Human Rights is held in Vienna, which commemorated the International Year for the World's Indigenous People (1993). |
6 May 1994
The Secretary-General produces a report on "An Agenda for Development", a blueprint for improving the human condition. |
Ladakhi woman, a member of a Tibetan ethnic group, Photoksar, India, Aug 92 (159644 UN/DPI/F. Charton). |
23 June 1994
Elections are held in South Africa from 26 to 29 April, observed by 2,527 staff of the United Nations Observer Mission in South Africa (UNOMSA) deployed around the country. On 25 May, the Security Council lifted the arms embargo and other restrictions against South Africa. On 23 June, after 24 years, South Africa took its place once again in the General Assembly. |
5-15 September 1994
The International Conference on Population and Development, is held in Cairo, attended by representatives from 179 countries and addressed by 249 speakers. The Conference had population, sustained economic growth and sustainable development as its overall theme. |
Intl. Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, Sep 94 (UN/DPI/E. Schneider). |
October 1994
Mozambique's first multi-party elections are held on 27-29 October, monitored by some 2,300 international observers. |
1995
A world-wide, year-long programme of activities and celebrations marks the Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Nations. The theme of the anniversary was "We the peoples of the United Nations...United for a Better World". |
UN-assisted elections - waiting to vote, Xipamanime, Mozambique, 28 Oct 94 (187016 UN/DPI/S. Sudhakaran). |
March 1995
The World Summit for Social Development -one of the largest gathering of world leaders in history- meets in Copenhagen to renew the commitment to combating poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. |
26 June 1995
A conference is held in San Francisco, California to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter. |
Secretariat lit up for UN's 50th Anniversary, New York, 21 Dec 94 (188956 UN/DPI/E. Schneider). |
September 1995
The Fourth World Conference on Women meets in Beijing to continue international efforts to advance the status of women worldwide. |
22-24 October 1995
A special commemorative meeting attended by Heads of State and Government is held at Headquarters culminating the observance of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Nations. |
Group photograph of the world leaders at the Special Commemorative Meeting. (UN/DPI Photo # 190891 by Paul Skipworth for Eastman Kodak Company. Copyright United Nations, Paul Skipworth and Eastman Kodak Company).
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10 September 1996
The General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. This is a turning point in the history of efforts towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The treaty was opened for signature on 24 September. |
Fiftieth Session of General Assembly votes on item relating to Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, New York, 10 Sep 96 (192255 UN/DPI/E.Schneider). |
17 December 1996
The General Assembly appoints by acclamation Kofi Annan, of Ghana, as the seventh United Nations Secretary-General with a term begining on 1 January 1997 and ending 31 December 2001. |
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Ghana,
New York, 17 Dec 96 (193355C N/DPI/M.Grant). |
29 June 2001
Acting on a recommendation by the Security Council, the General Assembly appointed Kofi Annan by acclamation to a second term of office, beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006. |
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Ghana,
New York, 29 June 2001. |
