As I sit here in the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations (PMUN) office across from U.N. headquarters, I can see the large U.N. flag fluttering in the wind. That flag is a beacon of hope for so many around the world. When the United Nations was created in 1945, after the devastation of World War II, it was determined “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” And yet, almost 80 years later, we are again facing multiple wars and crises posing existential threats.
By the end of World War II, there was a great urgency and need for global peace, and from that the international organization the United Nations was founded. Today we come together to celebrate the creation of the United Nations as the world’s only global organization and the one place where the world’s nations can come together to discuss shared problems and find solutions that bring peace and prosperity that creates a better world and future for all people.
Thursday marks the 74th anniversary of the day that the United Nations Charter came into force. To help Presbyterians mark the occasion, Sue Rheem, mission specialist for international advocacy at the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, wrote this prayer:
Seventy-two years ago today, the newly-formed United Nations approved a charter that has been the foundation of its work ever since. Today marks United Nations Day, an opportunity for the global community to celebrate the work and progress the institution has made. UN member states aren’t the only ones to commemorate the special day.
