United Nations Day celebrates the work of the UN and its specialised agencies. On or around 24th October the UN organises special events around the world particularly at their main offices in New York the Hague (Netherlands), Geneva (Switzerland), Vienna (Austria) and Nairobi (Kenya). The foundations for the UN (then known as the League of Nations) were laid out in the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended World War I.

Its aim was and still is to encourage disarmament, prevent outbreaks of war, encourage negotiations and diplomatic measures to settle international disputes and to improve the quality of life around the world. (It seems it still has a lot to do).

At the end of the second world war the UN itself was officially born on 24th October 1945 and United Nations was first observed on October 24, 1948.

There are proposals for United Nations Day to be an international public holiday to bring attention to all of the work the UN does and the achievements it has made. Unfortunately the member states do not seem to want to give us all another day off.

Further Information

World Development Information Day is to draw the public's attention to the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve world development problems by sharing information. 

One of the specific aims of World Development Information Day is the role of modern technology and to inform and motivate young people so as to further this aim.