Celebrated each year on 24 October, UN Day marks the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. The day provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the United Nations, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for the Organisation.
The UN feeds, shelters, vaccinates and educates millions of people every day. The World Food Programme alone reaches 90m people a year. UN efforts have led to the eradication of smallpox, protected civilians around the world and provided billions in development assistance.
Events in 2011 have demonstrated the enduring relevance of the UN, with the world body taking decisive action in Libya and Cote d'Ivoire, facilitating the peaceful secession of South Sudan and undertaking life-saving work in the Horn of Africa.
In his message for UN Day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted: “Never has the United Nations been so needed.""
To mark UN Day, UNA-UK is hosted a reception in partnership with the Australian High Commission, which brought together members of the diplomatic, political, corporate, NGO and academic communities to acknowledge the vital role of the UN. The event featured the presentation of the inaugural ‘Sir Brian Urquhart Award for Distinguished Service to the UN’ to Dame Margaret Anstee DMCG.
The reception also exhibited a selection of entries from the UN's recent 'End Poverty' poster competition as well as a fundraising auction in aid of The UNA Trust.
