Seventy Years Since the Establishment of the United Nations

On Saturday, November 2 (October 24) this year marks the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. The United Nations currently has over 44,000 employees. Six languages constitute the official languages commonly used in the United Nations: English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic. The UN headquarters is located in New York, and the construction of its complex buildings took place from 1946 to 1952. Major renovations were carried out in these buildings between 2008 and 2014. The draft of the UN Charter was prepared in 1945 in San Francisco and was unanimously adopted on June 25 of the same year. According to the UN Charter, the United Nations, consisting of 193 member states, prioritizes conflict resolution and peacekeeping as its main objectives. From the early days, the United Nations announced the establishment of various entities as its sub-organizations, among which the most important are: the UN General Assembly, which is the policymaking body of the UN and oversees its budget; the Security Council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security; and the International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, which resolves legal disputes. The magazine 'Time' in its article commemorating the anniversary of the UN highlighted five significant achievements of the organization: Saving the Pyramids of Egypt: When the construction of an eight-lane highway near the Giza Pyramid and the Sphinx began in 1995, which could threaten the structure of these ancient monuments, UNESCO, the educational, scientific, and cultural organization of the UN, successfully prevented the construction of this highway. Eradicating Smallpox: In 1980, after a thirteen-year vaccination campaign, the World Health Organization, a UN agency, announced the eradication of this disease. Protecting the Ozone Layer: In 1987, the UN environmental program held a conference with the participation of 24 countries, which ultimately led to actions to protect the Earth's ozone layer. Saving the Lives of 90 Million Children: The United Nations Children's Fund, established in 1946, reported in its latest annual report that its activities since 1990 have saved the lives of 90 million children. Improving Arms Monitoring: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, established in 1968, has been effective in this regard. Increasing Challenges and 'Need for Reforms' in the Organization: On the occasion of the UN's anniversary, The Guardian notes that the world today faces numerous new challenges that place an additional burden on organizations like the UN. Challenges such as the increasing entrenchment of terrorism and armed conflict in areas with weak, monopolistic, and corrupt governments; and climate change, which has caused the melting of the Earth's ice and altered wind and rainfall patterns. Among the reform proposals to improve the UN's performance is limiting the veto power currently held by the five permanent members of the Security Council. Meanwhile, the process of globalization, accelerated by the emergence of the internet, while having its advantages, has also opened doors for illegal trade, espionage, and theft. The 'Global Commission on Security, Justice, and Governance,' consisting of a 14-member team, published a report on the UN in June, calling for 12 reforms in the structure of the United Nations to better confront today's challenges. Among the main reform proposals is limiting the veto power enjoyed by the five permanent members of the Security Council. Establishing a structure by the UN to utilize the talents of civil society and the business community globally is another proposal from the mentioned commission. Ban Ki-moon, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, in one of his recent speeches, committed that this organization would make greater efforts in these areas: 'Protecting those affected by armed conflicts, combating climate change, preventing nuclear disasters, creating more opportunities for women and girls, fighting injustice and law evasion, and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.'