1. Cause and background: The first half of the twentieth century witnessed two world wars that caused death to 80 million people. Each of those wars strengthened the determination of world leaders and people to set up institutions for a peaceful world.

2. Even before the complete defeat of the enemy countries (viz. Germany, Japan and Italy) in the Second World War, the Allied powers led by the USA, former Soviet Union and the UK started a planning organization in place of the League of Nations.

3. Prominent personalities and conferences: The US President,Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter in August, 1941 indicating their desire for a post-war peace institution. Then a series of conferences followed at Moscow, Teheran, Dumbarton Oaks and Yalta to discuss various ideas and proposals.

4. Finally, the United States hosted the San Francisco Conference in early 1945 to finalise and sign the Charter of the new organisation, the "United Nations".

5. Birthday and Charter of UN: The United Nations came into being on 24 October,1945, on this day every year we observe UN Day.

6. The Charter is the Constitution of the United Nations. It lists the purposes of the organisation, the principles guiding the conduct of both the United Nations and its member countries, the principal organs along with their composition and powers.