The previous Thursday night at a celebratory concert in New York, USA, marking the anniversary of the foundational United Nations Charter entering into force, Secretary-General, António Guterres, said the “spirit of solidarity and action” that marks United Nations Day itself, is “wonderfully expressed in the power of music”.
In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organisation to draw up the United Nations Charter. The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by a majority of signatories. Watch history in the making with this footage from the UN archives.
The San Francisco Conference
Delegates of fifty nations met in San Francisco, California, USA, between April 25 and June 26, 1945, at the United Nations Conference on International Organisation. Working on the Dumbarton Oaks proposals, the Yalta Agreement, and amendments proposed by various governments, the Conference agreed upon the Charter of the United Nations and the Statute of the new International Court of Justice.
Forty-six nations, including the four sponsors, were originally invited to the San Francisco Conference. These were the nations that had declared war on Germany and Japan and had subscribed to the United Nations Declaration.
One of these nations – Poland – did not send a representative because the composition of its new government was not announced until too late for the conference. Therefore, a space was left for the signature of Poland, one of the original signatories of the United Nations Declaration.
At the time of the conference, there was no generally recognized Polish Government, but on 28 June such a government was announced and on October 15, 1945, Poland signed the Charter, thus becoming one of the original 51 members.
The conference itself invited four other states – the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, newly-liberated Denmark and Argentina. Thus delegates of fifty nations in all gathered at the San Francisco Conference in April 1945.
Four Committees and Four Commissions
The work of the San Francisco Conference was organized as follows. The highest body was the Conference in Plenary Session, which was in charge of the final voting and adoption of the text. Below the plenary, four committees were established:
the Steering Committee, composed of the chairmen of all delegations, which considered major questions of policy and procedure;
the Executive Committee, composed of the chairmen of 14 delegations (those of the four sponsoring Governments and ten co-elected members), serving the Steering Committee by preparing recommendations for its consideration;
the Coordination Committee, composed of technical members of the same 14 delegations, which assisted the Executive Committee and was itself assisted by an Advisory Committee of Jurists;
the Credentials Committee, formed by representatives from six delegations, verifying the credentials of delegates.
Below this level, the study of the most important issues to be settled was divided among four general commissions, which coordinated the work of twelve technical committees, charged with the preparation of drafting proposals; when needed, the technical committees could designate sub-committees. The work was organised as follows:
Commission I (General Provisions) coordinated the work of Technical Committee 1 (Preamble, Purposes and Principles) and Technical Committee 2 (Membership, Amendment and Secretariat);
Commission II (General Assembly) coordinated the work of Technical Committee 1 (Structure and Procedures), Technical Committee 2 (Political and Security Functions), Technical Committee 3 (Economic and Social Cooperation) and Technical Committee 4 (Trusteeship System);
Commission III (Security Council), coordinated the work of Technical Committee 1 (Structure and Procedures), Technical Committee 2 (Peaceful Settlement), Technical Committee 3 (Enforcement Arrangements) and Technical Committee 4 (Regional Arrangements);
Commission IV (Judicial Organization), coordinated the work of Technical Committee 1 (International Court of Justice) and Technical Committee 2 (Legal Problems).
A Secretariat provided general administration to the Conference. On the side of this official structure, informal consultations were held among delegations, most notably among the five principal powers at the Conference (the United States, the United Kingdom, the USSR, China and France).
More than five thousand documents were considered at the Conference: a compilation of the principal documents was published under the title Documents of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, San Francisco, Volumes I to XX, 1945-1954.
The Charter of the United Nations, together with the Statute of the International Court of Justice which forms an integral part of the Charter, was adopted unanimously at the end of the Conference, on 25 June 1945 at the San Francisco Opera House, and was signed the following day at the Herbst Theatre auditorium of the Veterans War Memorial Building.
It entered into force, in accordance with its Article 110, paragraph 3, on 24 October 1945, following the deposit of the instruments of ratification of the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of all other signatories.
Delegates and Staff in the Thousands
There were 850 delegates at the Conference, and their advisers and staff together with the conference secretariat brought the total to 3,500. In addition, there were more than 2,500 press, radio and newsreel representatives and observers from many societies and organisations.
In all, the San Francisco Conference was not only one of the most important in history but, perhaps, the largest international gathering ever to take place. The heads of the delegations of the sponsoring countries took turns as chairman of the plenary meetings: Anthony Eden, of Britain, Edward Stettinius, of the United States, T. V. Soong, of China, and Vyacheslav Molotov, of the Soviet Union. At the later meetings, Lord Halifax deputised for Eden, V. K. Wellington Koo for T. V. Soong, and Gromyko for Molotov.
Plenary meetings are, however, only the final stages at such conferences. A great deal of work has to be done in preparatory committees before a proposition reaches the full gathering in the form in which it should be voted upon.
And the voting procedure at San Francisco was important. Every part of the Charter had to be and was passed by a two-thirds majority. This is the way in which the San Francisco Conference got through its monumental work in exactly two months.
The Charter is approved
The United Nations did not come into existence at the signing of the Charter. In many countries, the Charter had to be approved by their congresses or parliaments. It had therefore been provided that the Charter would come into force when the governments of China, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States and a majority of the other signatory states had ratified it and deposited notification to this effect with the State Department of the United States.
On October 24, 1945 (now observed annually as United Nations Day) this condition was fulfilled and the United Nations came into existence. Four years of planning and the hope of many years had materialized in an international organization designed to end the war and promote peace, justice and better living for all mankind.
Every October 24, UN reaffirms the purposes and principles that have guided it for the past 76 years.
Inside the concert venue, the gilded General Assembly Hall, Guterres said “music reflects the profound diversity and unique contributions of cultures around the world. At the same time, it is universal. A language that bridges all divides.”
As the world begins gradually to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 concert represents a call to strengthen international cooperation in the interest of both nations and peoples, for a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.
“The last 20 months have been an extraordinarily difficult and even isolating moment for the human family”, said the Secretary-General.
“Tonight, let us watch as one, listen as one, and be inspired as one. And let us commit, once again, to the UN Charter and the values that have brought it to life for the last 76 years – peace, dignity and prosperity for all”.
This year’s concert followed a hybrid format with live and pre-recorded performances and a small audience who followed physical distancing protocols.
From classical artists to K-pop stars, the evening’s line up included renowned violinists Angela and Jennifer Chun along with soprano Youngok Shin with in-person performances as pre-recorded videos were screened featuring acclaimed soprano Youngmi Kim, the Goyang Philharmonic Orchestra, pianist Yungwook Yoo and the all-female K-pop band, aespa.
In his message marking the day, the Secretary-General pointed out that 76 years ago, the UN was created as “a vehicle of hope for a world emerging from the shadow of catastrophic conflict”.
“Today”, he added, “the women and men of the UN carry this hope forward around the globe”.
The UN chief observed that while
“We need to come together to tackle great challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
Guterres said this could be done by ensuring that every person, everywhere, has access to COVID-19 vaccines “sooner rather than later” and by seeking an end to the “conflicts that scar our world”.
He also underscored the
“Our Common Agenda” report looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation and reinvigorating inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism. The Secretary-General presented his report to the General Assembly in September 2021 before the end of the 75th session of the General Assembly.
Summary
We are at an inflection point in history. In our biggest shared test since the Second World War, humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: a breakdown or a breakthrough. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is upending our world, threatening our health, destroying economies and livelihoods and deepening poverty and inequalities. Conflicts continue to rage and worsen.
The disastrous effects of a changing climate – famine, floods, fires and extreme heat – threaten our very existence. For millions of people around the world, poverty, discrimination, violence and exclusion are denying them their rights to the basic necessities of life: health, safety, a vaccination against disease, clean water to drink, a plate of food or a seat in a classroom.
Increasingly, people are turning their backs on the values of trust and solidarity in one another – the very values we need to rebuild our world and secure a better, more sustainable future for our people and our planet. Humanity’s welfare – and indeed, humanity’s very future – depend on solidarity and working together as a global family to achieve common goals. For people, for the planet, for prosperity and for peace.
Last year, on the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, Member States agreed that our challenges are interconnected, across borders and all other divides. These challenges can only be addressed by an equally interconnected response, through reinvigorated multilateralism and the United Nations at the centre of our efforts.
Member states asked me to report back with recommendations to advance our common agenda. This report is my response. In preparing the report, we have engaged with a broad array of stakeholders, including member states, thought leaders, young people, civil society and the United Nations system and its many partners.
One message rang through loud and clear: the choices we make or fail to make, today could result in further breakdown, or a breakthrough to a greener, better, safer future. The choice is ours to make, but we will not have this chance again. That is why Our Common Agenda is, above all, an agenda of action designed to accelerate the implementation of existing agreements, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
First, now is the time to re-embrace global solidarity and find new ways to work together for the common good. This must include a global vaccination plan to deliver vaccines against COVID-19 into the arms of the millions of people who are still denied this basic lifesaving measure. Moreover, it must include urgent and bold steps to address the triple crisis of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution destroying our planet.
Second, now is the time to renew the social contract between Governments and their people and within societies, so as to rebuild trust and embrace a comprehensive vision of human rights. People need to see results reflected in their daily lives. This must include the active and equal participation of women and girls, without whom no meaningful social contract is possible.
It should also include updated governance arrangements to deliver better public goods and usher in a new era of universal social protection, health coverage, education, skills, decent work and housing, as well as universal access to the Internet by 2030 as a basic human right. I invite all countries to conduct inclusive and meaningful national listening consultations so all citizens have a say in envisioning their countries’ futures.
Third, now is the time to end the “infodemic” plaguing our world by defending a common, empirically backed consensus around facts, science and knowledge. The “war on science” must end. All policy and budget decisions should be backed by science and expertise, and I am calling for a global code of conduct that promotes integrity in public information.
Fourth, now is the time to correct a glaring blind spot in how we measure economic prosperity and progress. When profits come at the expense of people and our planet, we are left with an incomplete picture of the true cost of economic growth. As currently measured, gross domestic product (GDP) fails to capture the human and environmental destruction of some business activities. I call for new measures to complement GDP, so that people can gain a full understanding of the impacts of business activities and how we can and must do better to support people and our planet.
Fifth, now is the time to think for the long term, to deliver more for young people and succeeding generations and to be better prepared for the challenges ahead. Our Common Agenda includes recommendations for meaningful, diverse and effective youth engagement both within and outside the United Nations, including through better political representation and by transforming education, skills training and lifelong learning.
I am also making proposals, such as a repurposed Trusteeship Council, a Futures Lab, a Declaration on Future Generations and a United Nations Special Envoy to ensure that policy and budget decisions take into account their impact on future generations. We also need to be better prepared to prevent and respond to major global risks.
It will be important for the United Nations to issue a Strategic Foresight and Global Risk Report on a regular basis, and I also propose an Emergency Platform, to be convened in response to complex global crises. Sixth, now is the time for a stronger, more networked and inclusive multilateral system, anchored within the United Nations. Effective multilateralism depends on an effective United Nations, one able to adapt to global challenges while living up to the purposes and principles of its Charter.
For example, I am proposing a new agenda for peace, multi-stakeholder dialogues on outer space and a Global Digital Compact, as well as a Biennial Summit between the members of the Group of 20 and of the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General and the heads of the international financial institutions. Throughout, we need stronger involvement of all relevant stakeholders, and we will seek to have an Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.
For 75 years, the United Nations has gathered the world around addressing global challenges: from conflicts and hunger, to ending disease, to outer space and the digital world, to human rights and disarmament. In this time of division, fracture and mistrust, this space is needed more than ever if we are to secure a better, greener, more peaceful future for all people.
Based on this report, I will ask a High-level Advisory Board, led by former Heads of State and Government, to identify global public goods and other areas of common interest where governance improvements are most needed, and to propose options for how this could be achieved.
In this spirit, I propose a Summit of the Future to forge a new global consensus on what our future should look like, and what we can do today to secure it. Humanity has shown time and time again that it is capable of great achievements when we work together. This common agenda is our road map to recapture this positive spirit and begin rebuilding our world and mending the trust in one another we need so desperately at this moment in history. Now is the time to take the next steps in our journey together, in solidarity with and for all people.
The values of peace, development, human rights, and opportunity for all, which have for the last 76 years have powered the UN Charter, “have no expiry date”, said the top UN official.
“As we mark UN Day, let’s unite behind these ideals, and live up to the full promise, potential and hope of the United Nations”, concluded the Secretary-General.
