United Nations Marks 80th Anniversary of Charter Signing

The United Nations on Saturday posted images of the preamble to its founding Charter, noting that 50 nations gathered in San Francisco in 1945 to establish the organization. The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization. It took effect on 24 October 1945.

The document sets out the purposes and principles of the United Nations, including the sovereign equality of states and the prohibition on the use of force in international relations. It functions as an international treaty binding on all member states.

The Charter has been amended three times, in 1963, 1965, and 1973. The International Court of Justice operates under a statute annexed to the Charter. The organization stated that the principles contained in the Charter have guided its work since 1945.