UN

UN

The UN was established on 24 October 1945 and currently has 192 Member States. The principal aims of the Organization are to maintain world peace and security, to promote friendly relations among nations, to ensure cooperation for the resolution of international problems and to promote human rights.

The United Nations has three main pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. The work the UN has done and continues to do is vital in all three of these sectors. Peacekeeping Operations – of which there are currently 14 – are a key tool for achieving international peace and security.

The UN international conference on sustainable development, “Rio + 20”, was held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. At this meeting, it was agreed, among other things, to strengthen the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and initiate a process aimed at the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals for the global community after 2015.

In terms of activities ranging from the protection of minorities to humanitarian disaster relief, from crisis management to global disarmament agreements, and from the protection of the environment to food aid programmes throughout the world, it can be said that the UN impacts the everyday lives of billions of people on our planet.

The UN continues to be a hub of cooperation amongst sovereign governments, the will of which determines the UN’s actions. Since its founding, the UN system has adapted to changes in the international environment.

The breadth of the Organization’s activities is constantly expanding to confront new challenges. So that the UN can be made more effective and more accurately reflect the current politico-economic reality, Security Council reform, which Greece supports, has been under discussion in the General Assembly since 2004.

Greece is among the 51 founding members of the United Nations. Greece participates actively in the proceedings of the UN and ardently supports the Organization as the repository of international law and order. On 5 December 2012, an examination was held in Athens for the staffing of the UN Secretariat with Greeks up to the age of 32.

Greece was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2005-2006, and has declared its candidacy for non-permanent member of the Security Council for 2025-2026.

The principal points of reference for Greece’s presence at the UN can be summarized as follows: promotion of democratic principles of governance, peaceful resolution of disputes, strict compliance with the rules of international law, and respect for human rights.

UN webpage: http://www.un.org/