UNO Day: United Nations Day Celebration, Significance, Activities

UNO Day: United Nations Day – UNO stands for United Nations Organization. The United Nations or UN Day is celebrated worldwide to commemorate the foundation of United Nations Organization in 1945. This day reminds us of the official formation of the United Nations in 1945 by a joint agreement and unanimous signing of the UN Charter by majority of its participants. The UNO comprised of five permanent members at that time in its Security Council.  These permanent members were the US, UK, Soviet Union, the Republic of China and France.

Each year, the UNO Day, popularly known as UN Day, falls on this fixed date, that is, October 24. The United Nations Day is a special day in the United Nations Week, which takes place between October 20 and October 26.

UNO Day & Date:

• 2024: 24 October (Thursday)
• 2025: 24 October (Friday)
• 2026: 24 October (Saturday)

UNO Day and Celebrations

The UN General Assembly, in the anniversary of the UN Charter in 1947, declared that October 24 of each year to be celebrated as the UN Day worldwide. The first UN Day was celebrated on October 24, 1948. The United Nations General Assembly of 1971 declared October 24 as International Holiday and a recommendation was made to observe the UN Day as public holiday by the participant / member states of United Nations. However, The UN Day until now has only been a global observance day and not a public holiday.

Significance:

The United Nations Day takes the center stage of the UN Week in October. It is celebrated to allow the international community know the mission, aim, roles, and achievements of the UNO. It is conceived of as an occasion to emphasize, honor, and reflect upon the efforts and works of the UNO and its other wings or participatory agencies.

Some of their significant contributions are in the areas of safeguarding human rights, supporting in areas of famine or drought, refugee settlement across the world nations, prevention and eradication of diseases, promotion of health among the underdeveloped and developing nations.

The main offices of the United Nations which are located in New York of the US, The Hague of Netherlands, Geneva of Switzerland, Vienna of Austria, and Nairobi of Kenya celebrate the UN Day by organizing various cultural performances and concerts, hoisting and flying the UN flag on top of the important UN official buildings, encouraging debates among the participating members about the significance of the endeavors or efforts undertaken by them in the modern times, and also the public statements made by head of member states and other leaders in the UNO.

United Nations Day Activities:

Every year, a variety of programs and events are organised by the international network of UN Information Centres to mark the day. Events such as ceremonies, panel discussions, seminars, art competitions, symposiums for students, film screenings, rallies, and photo/book exhibitions are observed during the United Nations Day.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

To promote prosperity along with protecting the planet, the UN asked all nations, be it poor, rich or middle-income to promote prosperity along with protecting the planet. Hence, the UN Sustainable Development Goals was set as a blueprint. Below are the 17 goals set by the UN: