| October 25, 2020 (afsf.com) |
Yesterday was a special anniversary for promoting peace, human rights, and international cooperation: on October 24, 1945, the charter of the United Nations (UN) (les Nations Unies) entered into force. The United Nations has lived through the Cold War and post-Cold War eras and the dream of international cooperation and peace still survives. The goal of the month defined by the UN is “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.” (Paix et Justice, avec des institutions efficaces, responsables et ouvertes à tous.) Despite the exceptional circumstances of 2020, celebrations of the UN’s 75th anniversary are taking place with various online activities and events this year.
From April 25 to June 26, 1945, the United Nations Conference on International Organization took place in San Francisco. With 850 delegates joining from all over the world, and despite initial debates and conflicts, the charter was written in just two months. Once it had been ratified by the United States, France, Great Britain, China, the Soviet Union, and the majority of 50 countries that signed the charter, the United Nations came into existence on October 24, 1945. You can review this event in this 16-min video.
In order to commemorate the conference, the UN plaza was built in Civic Center, dedicated in 1975, and then renovated in 1995, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights engraved on a black obelisk, among many other additions to the plaza.
To promote global cooperation and peace, multilingualism is one of the key ways this ideal occurs. French, language of diplomacy, was one of the first two official and working languages of the UN General Assembly. To learn new vocabulary this week, review the preamble of the Charter in English and French. “We the peoples of the United Nations determined…” / “Nous, peuples des Nations Unies, résolus…”
In 2010, the UN Department of Public Information launched “language days” celebrating the six official languages every year (English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic). The French Language Day takes place on March 20, which is also the International Francophonie Day. French is a prized career asset to build international business relationships.
Links / Sources:
UN 75th anniversary: events
1945, San Francisco Conference (text)
1945, San Francisco Conference (video)
UN Plaza renovations
Official languages of the UN
French Language Day
Why learning French? – Reason #1 ” it is a prized career asset”
