UNITED NATIONS DAY: OCTOBER 24, 2013

Quick Facts

United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the United Nations Charter coming into force in 1945 and celebrates the work of this organization. United Nations Day annually falls on October 24.

Local names

Name	Language
United Nations Day	English
Día de las Naciones Unidas	Spanish

United Nations Day 2014

Friday, October 24, 2014

On October 24, 1945, the United Nations (UN) came into force when the five permanent members of the security council ratified the charter that had been drawn up earlier that year. These members were: France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Since 1948, the event’s anniversary has been known as United Nations Day. It is an occasion to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the work of the United Nations and its family of specialized agencies.

United Nations offices around the world join in to observe United Nations Day.

©iStockphoto.com/Michael Palis

What do people do?

On and around October 24, many activities are organized by all parts of the UN, particularly in the main offices in New York, the Hague (Netherlands), Geneva (Switzerland), Vienna (Austria) and Nairobi (Kenya). These include: concerts; flying the UN flag on important buildings; debates on the relevance of the work of the UN in modern times; and proclamations by state heads and other leaders.

Public life

United Nations Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.

Background

The foundations for a “League of Nations” were laid in the Treaty of Versailles, which was one of the treaties to formally end World War I. The treaty was signed in Versailles, France, on June 28, 1919. The league aimed to encourage disarmament, prevent outbreaks of war, encourage negotiations and diplomatic measures to settle international disputes and to improve the quality of life around the world. However, the outbreak of World War II suggested that the League of Nations needed to take on a different form.

The ideas around the United Nations were developed in the last years of World War II, particularly during the UN Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, the United States, beginning on April 25, 1945. The UN was officially created when a UN charter was ratified on October 24 that year.

United Nations Day was first observed on October 24, 1948. The UN recommended that United Nations Day should be a public holiday in member states since 1971. There were also calls for United Nations Day to be an international public holiday to bring attention to the work, role and achievements of the UN and its family of specialized agencies. These have been spectacular, particularly in the fields of human rights, support in areas of famine, eradication of disease, promotion of health and settlement of refugees.

The UN does not work alone but together with many specialized agencies, including: the World Health Organization (WHO); the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); International Labour Organization (ILO); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Symbols

The UN emblem consists of a projection of the globe centered on the North Pole. It depicts all continents except Antarctica and four concentric circles representing degrees of latitude. The projection is surrounded by images of olive branches, representing peace. The emblem is often blue, although it is printed in white on a blue background on the UN flag.

United Nations Day Observances

Weekday	Date	Year	Name	Holiday type
Wed	Oct 24	1990	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Thu	Oct 24	1991	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sat	Oct 24	1992	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sun	Oct 24	1993	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Mon	Oct 24	1994	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Tue	Oct 24	1995	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Thu	Oct 24	1996	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Fri	Oct 24	1997	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sat	Oct 24	1998	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sun	Oct 24	1999	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Tue	Oct 24	2000	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Wed	Oct 24	2001	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Thu	Oct 24	2002	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Fri	Oct 24	2003	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sun	Oct 24	2004	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Mon	Oct 24	2005	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Tue	Oct 24	2006	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Wed	Oct 24	2007	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Fri	Oct 24	2008	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sat	Oct 24	2009	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sun	Oct 24	2010	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Mon	Oct 24	2011	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Wed	Oct 24	2012	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Thu	Oct 24	2013	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Fri	Oct 24	2014	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sat	Oct 24	2015	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Mon	Oct 24	2016	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Tue	Oct 24	2017	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Wed	Oct 24	2018	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Thu	Oct 24	2019	United Nations Day	United Nations observance
Sat	Oct 24	2020	United Nations Day	United Nations observance

UNITED NATIONS DAY: OCTOBER 24, 2013