United Nations Day 2024

United Nations

United Nations Day 2024

24 October marks the anniversary of the day the Charter of the United Nations entered into force in 1945

Thursday, October 24, 2024

24 October: United Nations Day

United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October every year to recognise the Organisation's work in upholding the values and principles of its Charter. Since joining, Spain has steadily strengthened its role among the leading United Nations forums and activities, and now stands out as a defender of multilateralism, human rights and sustainable development.​

What is the United Nations Organisation (UN)?

The United Nations Organisation (UN), founded in 1945 after the Second World War, is a universal organisation the purposes of which are the maintenance of international peace and security, the respect and defence of human rights and the achievement of sustainable development. With 193 Member States, the Organisation is a key pillar for managing contemporary global challenges, from climate change to governing artificial intelligence.

The United Nations carry out their work through various bodies that Member States participate in. The main bodies are:

• The General Assembly, the world's leading forum for debate, where all Member States meet to discuss and coordinate global policies.

• The Security Council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, with the power to recommend measures to settle disputes and to authorise the use of force.

• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which promotes economic and social cooperation in areas such as sustainable development and human rights.

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which resolves disputes between States and issues advisory opinions on the application of international law.

The UN also have a Secretary-General, to whom the Secretariat reports, and various agencies, funds and programmes dealing with more specific areas of international cooperation (UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, OCHA).

Spain's participation in the Security Council

The most important milestones of Spain's participation in the United Nations include its role as an elected member of the Security Council on five occasions. Spain is also a candidate to become a member of the Security Council again in the biennium 2031-2032.

Spain's role in the defence of human rights

On 9 October, the General Assembly elected Spain as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 period. The Council, based in Geneva, has as its primary objective the protection and promotion of human rights at the global level, a prerequisite for peace, security and sustainable development. Spain's selection reflects the values of Spanish society, including peace, democracy and human rights.​

Spain's commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Another pillar of Spain's participation in the UN is the nation's firm commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in areas related to the fight against poverty, gender equality, climate change and development cooperation. To contribute to these goals, Spain will host the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville in 2025, a key meeting to make progress in closing the financing gap, mobilising resources so as to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. The Conference also marks an important milestone in the process of reforming the international architecture of financing for development.

Through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Spain contributes to humanitarian and development projects in various parts of the world, in line with the UN's 2030 Agenda.

Maintenance of international peace and security. Participation in peace missions

Spain's commitment to the United Nations and to global peace and security is also reflected in its participation in peace missions. Since 1989, Spain has contributed more than 137,000 men and women from the Armed Forces and State Security Forces to over fifty peace operations in countries such as Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Haiti. Spain currently heads the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with almost 700 Spanish blue helmets.

Spain emphasises the need to respect international law and international humanitarian law in order to overcome the security and humanitarian crises in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Sahel, and in all armed conflicts and crises around the globe.​

Spain and multilateralism

Throughout its 79-year history, the United Nations Organisation has proven to be a crucial instrument in addressing the world's most pressing challenges and remains a key player for the well-being of humanity in the 21st century. At the recent Summit of the Future, Spain took an important step to deepen cooperation in certain priority areas and to build a fairer and more sustainable future for present and future generations. Spain reaffirms its commitment to these objectives and to the Organisation's purposes and principles.​

​
​