The UN has evolved over the years to keep pace with a rapidly changing world. But one thing has stayed the same:
It remains the one place on Earth where all the world’s nations can gather together, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.
The U.S. and the UN
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was instrumental in the creation of the organization and even coined the name “United Nations.” Following his death in April 1945, President Harry Truman signed the charter on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco at the War Memorial Opera House. The charter came into force on October 24, 1945, which is annually celebrated as “UN Day.”
Over the seven ensuing decades, the UN’s work has directly advanced U.S. values and interests around the world. The U.S. has enjoyed a uniquely prominent status within the UN, serving as a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, host of UN headquarters in New York City, and its largest financial contributor. This has placed the U.S. in a prime position to shape the UN’s agenda to advance its own national security interests, foreign policy objectives, and values.