Seven decades of the United Nations
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October 24, 1945 Victors of World War II – China, France, UK, USSR and U.S. – ratify United Nations’ Charter, creating UN Security Council

January 1946 First UN General Assembly takes place in London, UK
UN member states in 1946 51
Member states in 2015 193
February 1946 Norwegian Trygve Lie elected as first Secretary- General of United Nations

Secretaries-General 1946-2015 8
December 1948 Under guidance of Eleanor Roosevelt, General Assembly adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UN’s first Declaration becomes foundation for numerous international laws and treaties.

UN Declarations 1948-2015 90
October 1954 UN High Commission for Refugees wins Nobel Peace Prize for its work with post-war refugees in Europe

UN Nobel Laureates 11

Nov 1956 – Jun 67 First UN peacekeeping force established to secure withdrawal of British, French and Israeli troops from Egypt following Suez Canal crisis

Current peacekeeping forces 16
November 1967 Following Israel’s Six-Day War against Egypt, Jordan and Syria, Security Council’s Resolution 242 calls for withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from occupied territories

UN resolutions to date 2,234
September 1987 Signing of Montreal Protocol leads to start of recovery of Antarctic ozone hole – UN’s most successful treaty

Signatories to Protocol 197
September 1996 UN adopts Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty

Signatories to date 183
July 2002 International Criminal Court is established following Rome Statute

Countries party to ICC 123
November 2012 General Assembly accords non-Member Observer State status to State of Palestine
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Source: United Nations Pictures: Associated Press, NASA

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