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The UN Charter opens with the words, “We the Peoples of the United Nations.” These words put people at the center of the UN.
The Charter was signed in San Francisco. The location of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, where the document was signed, reminded nations that World War II was fought on two fronts – Europe and the Pacific.
The Charter has 50 original signatories. Today, the UN has grown to include 193 Member States.
Poland is considered an original signatory, despite being absent at the conference. At the time of the signing, there was no recognized Polish government. As such, a blank was left in the declaration for the country to sign later that year when the composition of the government had been confirmed.
The Charter was ratified on October 24, 1945. With this step, the UN formally came into existence.
The Charter outlined six convening bodies. These bodies include the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice. The UN Trusteeship Council was formally the sixth organ.