"We the people of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights."

This was the founding text of the United Nations, originally signed by 50 states at the San Francisco Conference after World War II ended in 1945. It marked the birth of the United Nations and its Charter, forming the basis of current international law.

The UN Charter contains 111 articles, organised in 19 chapters. It is a binding international treaty that each state undertakes to respect when it joins the United Nations. Its primary aim is to promote peace around the world.

The responsibility for this task lies with the UN Security Council and its five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Ambassador Chen Xu, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva, says that "the United Nations has played such an important role in international affairs, in the maintenance of international peace and security, and in the promotion of economic and social progress."

For 80 years now, the UN has been the center for multilateralism, working for peace and human rights around the world.

Thousands of diplomatic meetings are held at the United Nations office in Geneva every year, at agencies such as the Human Rights Council and the Disarmament Conference, and in various behind-the-scenes talks.

But many of these meetings fail to reach a consensus among member states – which has raised questions about the purpose of the United Nations.

Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva says that "the real challenge is a severe test on the international community to, for their will to cooperate.

"I would say the mechanisms to cooperate are there, the rules and procedures to cooperate are there. But are they really willing to do that? So this is a challenge which we all, I think, no country is absolved of. It really depends on that."

There've been many calls for improving or even reforming the United Nations. The UN80 initiative was launched in March 2025 by the UN Secretary General to review the UN system and its mandates and examine potential structural changes. The aim is to build a stronger and more effective UN to better serve the world.