United Nations (UN)

The united nations (un) is an intergovernmental organization made up of 191 member states. According to its Charter's Preamble, it was created with the intent to provide international peace and security through the promotion of cooperation among states of the world and “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” The UN officially became an organization on October 24, 1945, after a majority of the original 50 signatory states and the five permanent members of its most powerful organ, the Security Council, ratified the UN Charter. Following the devastation caused by World War II, the member states recognized the need to create a place where world leaders could regularly get together to create mutual understandings and to foster cooperation. The organization's additional goals include ...