United Nations Day and Its History

October 24 marks the celebration of a day known as United Nations Day. United Nation is an organization that helps countries to develop friendly relations with other countries, bring international peace and harmony, and to achieve international cooperation. United Nations Day commemorates all the hard and honorable work this organization has done in order to promote peace around the world. Around the world events are held in regard to United Nation Organization.

There is an interesting history behind the formation and celebration of United Nations Day. After World War I, it was decided that a treaty was needed to be found to avoid another war, so the treaty of Versailles came into existence. The treaty was signed on 28th of June, 1919 in Versailles, France and it was essentially meant to be League of Nations that will try to prevent further outbreaks of war, and to promote diplomatic relations and to encourage negotiations between countries. It was also said to improve the quality of life for people all around the world. Unfortunately, League of Nations failed to do its job, and failed to prevent another world war, resulting in the commencement of World War II. So it was decided that a different approach is needed to tackle the issue of countries’ war mongering nature.

Towards the end of World War II, the idea of the “United Nations” came into existence, after the demise of League of Nation. Hence, the United Nations birthed its existence on October 24, 1945. It was after three years that in 1948, U.N observed the United Nations Day for the first time. However, it was 1971, that the United Nations Day was set as an international holiday by a resolution of U.N and was required to be celebrated by all the members of United Nation.

Today, United Nations Day commemorates all that U.N stand for in the world. It helps countries and their people to remember the four main purposes of the United Nations.

  1. To maintain peace and security around the world
  2. To develop relationships among member nations
  3. Promote an atmosphere of communication and dialogue between nations.
  4. Provide a forum to bring countries together to meet the purposes and goals of the United Nation.

United Nations is also creating awareness about “languages endangerment and the need to safeguard the world’s linguistic diversity.” The UN is very concerned with languages: one of its most important projects aims at language preservation and it is called “World Languages in Danger.” The United Nations declared 2019 to be “The Year of Indigenous Languages.” The reason for it is to raise awareness about the importance of languages and their contributions towards a diverse culture. Languages are dying, and UN is trying to save them.

United Nations Day Customs & Traditions

United Nations Day is traditionally celebrated with a wide range of displays, discussion groups, debates, and meetings. Activities which honor the achievements of U.N and events that helps U.N to lay out their goals. However, this holiday has an even greater purpose – as embodied by the people who celebrate it. For example, many schools, colleges, or universities celebrate this day by honoring their foreign students. Celebrating their diversity and their culture by hosting different events and segments that include dancing, presentation, music and food from different countries.

In a state like Kosovo, United Nations Day is celebrated as an official non-working day. In Philippines, school children will often dress themselves in the costumes of the countries in which they come from, in order to celebrate the day. In United States of America, the president will issue a declaration recognizing United Nations Day, this has been the trend since 1946.

How You Can Celebrate United Nations Day

People from all around the world celebrate the United Nations Day with all their might. They celebrate it by not only showing pride in their own cultural traditions, but they also try to learn and support other cultures. If you are a student, maybe your essay assignments are in your way into celebrating United Nations Day. You can seek help from various websites that offer the best essay help there is, so you can easily enjoy and celebrate the United Nations Day. Here are some of the ways you can follow to celebrate the United Nations Day.

  1. You can host a speaker at your school who will highlight what the United Nations is about and what they stand for. Also, highlights the works and achievements of the united Nation. You can think about ways to incorporate this into an academic department, or try to collaborate with a student organization.
  2. Arrange a projector at your school, have UN issue related documentaries and show them to students. Doing this will enlighten them with the works and issues United Nation are striving against.
  3. Since this year’s theme of United Nations Day 2019 is “Our Planet. Our Future,” you can plant trees and plants and hold tree planting events at your school, college or university.
  4.  You can hold united nation day round table discussion on international youth issues. Students from different backgrounds can use this platform to share their stories and diversity.
  5. You can decorate your building, hostels, or university’s building in blue and white to promote United Nation awareness.
  6. You can collaborate with different student body organizations to host an event in which different cultures are appropriately represented. The students can wear their national dress, representing their culture and heritage.
  7. You can hold debates in your universities, giving voice to different debaters.
  8. You can arrange a setting in which you can host a discussion featuring and elected officials who are running for their local state, or national office to voice their views on United Nations and international politics. This will give you a brief understanding in the prospects of UN, as well as the candidate’s.
  9. You can honor a local leader or entrepreneur and their commitment towards the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.
  10. You can hold fundraisers in your school, colleges and universities and collect funds and donations. You can donate to United Nation Foundation, or you can choose a charity organization of your own choice.